


Stage Presence

by ReforgedMind (Churbooseanon)



Category: Young Avengers (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Theatre, Crossdressing, Friends to Lovers, Implied/Referenced Underage Drinking, M/M, Musicals, Specifically the musical 'Kinky Boots'
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-10
Updated: 2019-05-10
Packaged: 2019-10-25 10:54:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 33,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17723837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Churbooseanon/pseuds/ReforgedMind
Summary: College is about the experiences you have along the way. About coming out of your shell, trying new things, and having new realizations about yourself. For Tommy that realization comes after his best friend David and his brother Billy both miss out on a standing game night tradition for their group. What plays out over the next few months leaves his head spinning, Tommy reevaluating his opinions of David, and perhaps coming to understand something new about himself in the process.But really, did it have to come down to stiletto boots?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Sooooooo I may have recently seen the muscial Kinky Boots on stage and in Lola's first musical number I just stared at the beauty of those legs, those muscled arms, and those chocolatey arms and thought 'oh dear Tommy would be SO screwed if David was in that role.' 
> 
> And thus, thanks to some enabling friends, this.

Something was up with David Alleyne. 

Yeah yeah, that wasn’t very specific, but bear with him, okay? So, what happened was that Tuesday nights were gaming night. There were only so many nights in a week that Tommy could reliably get together with his friends. Between extracurriculars, study sessions, late classes, and Billy's date nights with Tommy’s roommate, Tuesdays had become the closest thing to a tradition they had. Tommy would grab Teddy after they finished with classes, drag his roommate out to pick up takeout somewhere, and they would get back to Billy’s dorm with the game systems and be set up just about the time that David got back from a late afternoon class. From there they would collapse in front of the television in the lounge and start their gaming spree that would last them most of the night. Others might float through in the course of the night or throughout the passing weeks---Kate when she could be bothered, Noh-Varr (what a strange stage name but really Tommy wasn’t sure it was much worse than Noah Varcus) when he didn’t have gigs with his band, and even Nate, Cassie and Jonas joined in once in a while---but ultimately the core group was the only thing that didn’t change. It had been a sacred tradition since week three of freshman year and nothing got in the way of it. They had an unbroken year and a half streak going for them. 

Until now. Like he said, something was up with David Alleyne. 

“What do you mean, you can’t tonight?” 

“I mean what I said,” David answered as he stuffed his books into his backpack. Tommy always stopped off first thing Tuesday mornings to get everyone’s orders. This week was Chinese in the rotation and while most of them had usual orders, it was still polite to check. 

“You do know it’s Tuesday, right? And I’ve managed to secure an okay from both Nate and Jonas. Which was hard given the Cassie thing over the summer. Even America, the girl from Billy’s gender studies class has agreed to come. I made a tournament bracket for us, so we can Smash all night long and figure out who really is the best.”

“And Kate doesn’t have anything for her sorority tonight and Noh-Varr’s band’s gig got cancelled. Yes, Tommy, I heard all of that. Nonetheless, I won’t be there to play tonight,” David answered, frowning down into his bag. After a while he seemed to realize what it was he’d missed, and snatched his pen case off the desk.Once that was done David zipped the bag closed and swung it up onto his shoulder. 

“Billy, talk some sense into your roommate,” Tommy whined in his twin’s direction. No, he didn’t whine, that wasn’t dignified. He… just made displeased noises. Yeah. That.

Unlike Tommy and David, Billy had been smart enough to not load up on early morning Tuesday-Thursday classes this spring semester, so he could get away with sleeping in longer than the other two. Which in this case meant Billy hardly appreciated the question, or so Tommy assumed from how he groaned. Well, that and the fact that billy pulled the pillow form under his head, and rolled onto his side, and thumped the thing down over his ear to try and block Tommy out. Which normally would annoy Tommy enough that he would hop onto his brother’s bed and make a nuisance of himself until Billy was forced to wake up. 

The only thing that won Billy a pass now was how David strode right past Tommy as if he wasn’t even there. Which of course earned ‘hell no’ in Tommy’s brain. His hand flashed out to latch onto the nearer of David’s arms to pull him to a stop. Which never really went well when he tried given David had a bit over half a foot on him and a good but of upper body strength to boot. Not for the first time Tommy found himself envious of David’s build and wondered how he fit gym time in among his classes, obsessive study habits, and things like Model UN and everything else that the guy did. Did he ever just stop and rest? Sometimes Tommy himself lamented trying to juggle his time for the track team and his party time. 

“If we’re going to do this, can we are least do it while getting our morning coffee?” David suggested. 

“Please, I will pay you to go get coffee for yourselves. Leave already,” Billy commented from under his pillow, his muffled voice clearly annoyed. 

“I’m going to remember your betrayal later,” Tommy warned his twin as he followed David out of the dorm room. Well, slamming the door behind him might be the first step of payback. Whoops. 

“You’re really going to love the fact that Billy’s not coming tonight either,” David chuckled as he pulled Tommy along the hall. Which was a good choice because the sound of the lock clicking into place was the perfect punctuation of the additional betrayal that the news represented. 

Now Tommy wished he’d done a bit worse than merely slamming. Of course he couldn’t exactly go back and pound on Billy’s door to demand an answer right now. There would be time to harass his twin by text later. Missing out on coffee, a bagel, and his chance to figure out David wasn’t even an acceptable option, and that was before he considered the chance of being late to class. With a sigh he hiked his own pack into a more secure position on his shoulder and followed after David, who was already heading for the stairs. 

“So what’s so important that you’re missing out on our group time? And with pretty much no forewarning?” 

He watched David from the corner of his eyes, looking up at the serious expression. It almost looked like David didn’t want to talk about it. Which was fair in most situations, David was a semi-private guy, but usually he opened up to Tommy about things, they were best friends after all. There was something in the tension that David carried right now, though, that made Tommy consider not pushing it any further. And if that wasn’t a sign of how much he considered David a friend, nothing would be. 

Of course, he was only considering it. 

“Is it really important, Tommy?”

“Yeah man. I mean, Kaplan bailing on me was bound to happen sooner or later…”   


“Have you ever noticed that you only use his last name when you’re trying to distance yourself from him? When you’re upset with him?”

David spoke as he turned them down the main stairwell, and damn if Tommy didn’t pause for half a moment to watch him. As ever Tommy was impressed by how light David was on his feet, just about floating down the stairs. That sort of agility always impressed Tommy, and even now his eyes were more on David than on the stairs as Tommy raced down them at David’s side. Probably not weird to stare at his best friend and his casual displays of grace, right? About as weird as opting to room with his twin’s boyfriend rather than either Billy and Teddy rooming together, which wasn’t weird. It was better than the mess that would be Tommy sharing with his twin. So yeah, totally not weird. At all. And he wasn’t trying to ignore David’s implication there either. Nope. 

Really. 

“It  _ is  _ his name,” Tommy said as they hit the first landing. Should be enough of a dismissal for David to get that Tommy didn’t care for this line of questioning. 

“It’s his last name, Tommy. It points out that you were raised by different people, implies you aren’t brothers even though the Kaplans are your family now.”

“I don’t want to do this, David. I want to know why you’re bailing on me tonight. Bailing on us. I mean, I’m talented, I can totally adapt my plans for the night for two less people, redo my competition bracket. It’s not a problem at all,” Tommy mumbled, trying his best to put a bit of disappointment into his voice. Rebecca Kaplan would be proud to know he had managed to pick up on that tone. Well, not entirely proud, because he tended to ignore it from her which was a problem. And probably less amused to have him turn the skill on a friend, but David had betrayed him first. 

Okay, that word was absolutely a melodramatic choice, but he’d learned it watching Billy,  _ and  _ his best friend was hiding stuff which he really didn’t appreciate. Fuck, if he wasn’t pretty certain that it was actually impossible for Billy to do something that would deliberately hurt Teddy, he might be suspicious of both him and David being occupied on the same night. As it was there was the chance that one of them had developed an obligation and the other had taken advantage of it. Probably Billy had the previous plan and David had made other plans because of it, but you never knew. 

The silence carried between them until they made it to the doors of the dorm building. Only then did David stop and turn to him, a soft gaze on Tommy’s face that for a second made him think David was about to get mushy or something. Which would be okay but probably going too far, even for a best friend. 

“Listen, I want to go out for another extracurricular. Just something I wanted to try, and this seemed the best chance. I know I probably won’t make the cut but…”

“Fuck that, man. You can do anything, David. Confidence is king, and we all know to bow to the confidence of Alleyne,” Tommy said, a call back to the pep talk Billy had given David about Model UN. A pep talk that Tommy had proceeded to tease his friend with ever since. Now, though, he couldn’t help but feel a bit more like he genuinely meant the words. In the original way that Billy had intended them even. 

That won a smile from David, which Tommy rolled his eyes at. Why did David have to turn that thing onto Tommy? It was like a weapon, his smile. An aggressively white smile of blinding friendship. 

“Like I was saying, I probably won’t make it. But I want to try, and tonight is my only chance. I’ll make it up to you, Tommy. Favor of your choice, within reason. Teddy to serve as referee if we’re debating what is and isn’t reasonable.”

Everyone knew Teddy was about the most fair guy out there, so when the offer came with an extended hand, Tommy clasped it. Good, he could agree here. 

“You’re on, David. But you better kick ass at whatever this secret thing of yours is. I don't’ need favors from guys who don’t work their hardest. Slackers are the worst.”

His own lips curled into a playful grin as David rolled his eyes. Made sense, seeing as Tommy self-identified as a slacker when it suited him to do so. David happened to be one of those frustrating people who never bought it because he seemed to notice how much effort Tommy put in with things he cared about. But the smile Tommy had earned was definitely worht the comment. 

“I know that, Tommy. But we’ll see what we see.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy puts two and two together and gets the square root of seven. And then four. Which is a more shocking number than it seems. 
> 
> Who knew David had aspirations to the stage? Tommy sure didn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do have more material written at this point, but I wanted to just get some of it typed out to give myself a motivator to keep going. No clue how long this is going to be, but it will be as it will be and what more can we ask for than that? 
> 
> You know, other than Tommy getting his own damn story line for a change?

“What do you mean  you don’t know yet?!”

“Would you keep your voice down?” David sighed, not even looking up from the array of nerd stuff laid out before him. Frankly it was a bit embarrassing for Tommy to even be seen with David sometimes, what with the way that David had his textbook and three other reference books open in front of him, and that was before the notebook he was working in, his laptop, and a mound of print-outs of ‘scholarly’ articles. All of them were probably about something important, David apparently was allergic to minimal effort on class projects or papers, or ever choosing an easy topic. Ever. Still, there was probably something excessive about the amount of the library table that David took up, all on his own. 

What little bit of the table David hadn’t consumed on his own had recently been taken up by Tommy’s feet, a nice little corner that let him show how much he cared about maintaining the orderly existence of the library. Of course that hadn’t lasted with David’s news that, here on Thursday, David still didn’t know how his mysterious Tuesday thing had gone. Tommy had jerked back and shouted, his feet leaving the table as his arms pinwheeled for balance. It wasn’t until he’d regained his balance that he looked to David again, only to be annoyed that David was already lost back in his world of research. 

Well, Tommy wasn’t going to stand for that. He shifted his weight so he was properly in his seat again, all feet on the ground (including his own), and watched. Waited. The moment David’s pen lifted from the notebook Tommy darted forward, just about stretching the whole of his body over the table, over books and papers, to slap his hand down, fingers spread, onto David’s notebook. Ha, he wouldn’t be able to take notes now!

“Tommy.”

He watched as David’s eyes came to his hand. As they slowly moved from fingers and glided up his wrist. From his wrist they slowly slid up his arm, a panning shot right out of a movie and now Tommy got to see it from the actor’s point of view. It was an intense sort of look that was almost like fingers over his skin, and Tommy knew he was imagining it but he still squirmed under the gaze. Finally their eyes met, and David’s ere those of a man just about ready to stab a pen into Tommy’s hand. An unspoken threat that carried a hell of a lot more weight given there was actually a pen pushing against his skin.

“This paper is worth almost a quarter of my grade in this class, Tommy. I would  _ really  _ prefer to get it right,” David said, a note of warning in his voice. It really went well with that fire in his eyes. 

Didn’t mean Tommy was buying the whole story.

“The paper is due in two weeks from what your syllabus over there says. You can spare five minutes to talk.”

The point must have struck home with David because he sighed and leaned back in his seat. Even moved the pen, which was nice. As a show of truce, Tommy pulled his own hand back, but then focused on rubbing at the smear of blue ink. Of course he left a mark. How rude. 

“You’re like a cat,” David spoke, his words just above a whisper, that perfect library volume without being a whisper. Those things carried far, Tommy had learned back with the Kaplans, so he really respected someone who knew how to be quiet in an effective way. Of course David would talk like that, though. Everything he did was always so perfect. The way the yellow tinted lenses of his glasses looked against his skin was perfect. The way his smile was a radiant white against full lips was perfect. The damn specific degree he tilted his head to when he was curious was even perfect. Asshole just managed it all flawlessly, even had the balls to have a perfectly smug look on his face right now.

“My name is Tommy, look at me, I want attention,” David recited in a sing-song voice, a habit he’d picked up from Billy. 

“You know what, I’m not even made this time. Yes, I want attention. I want to know what happened with that club you were going out for. First you give me no heads up, then you won’t  tell me what club it was even for, and now you won't even tell me how the tryouts you abandoned me for went?” Tommy sighed. “Come on, man. It is my obligation as your best friend to buy the trash food of your choice when you are disappointed. Do you really want me to fail as a friend?”

“My best friend, huh? That’s why you refused to room with me this year?”

“LIke I’ve said before, your late night study habits are terrible for my beauty sleep. Plus it would be impossible to ever get Billy and Teddy out to socialize if we let them room together.”

On top of that the current arrangement was best because frankly, he hated just being lumped in with Billy all the time, so having some space away from his twin was nice, even if Billy was still in his room a lot to see Teddy. Hell, Billy almost spent as many nights in bed curled up with Teddy as he did in his own bed, but Tommy was getting used to their combined snoring. They even snored in harmony. It was dreadfully sweet.

“Sure, that’s absolutely the reason,” David dismissed as he capped his pen and looked at Tommy. 

“So, are you going to tell me how it went and why you don’t have an answer on how you did yet? Extra bonus points if you can explain why Billy’s more tightly wound than a tightrope. And yes, I have comparison points so don’t start trying to analyze word choices, Mr. Genius,” Tommy said as he finally leaned back in his seat again, pushing it back onto only its rear legs while his feet once more came up to the corner of the table. “He only ever gets like that over…”

Oh. No. It couldn’t be. Please tell him it wasn’t that time of the semester already. 

“Callbacks,” David supplied when Tommy didn’t immediately continue. 

“Sometimes I wonder if he’s going for all of the gay stereotypes. Like, some sort of bingo card or something when you get your rainbow flag at Pride or whatever. Guess it really is about that time of year for his department to be prepping their next show. Auditions and all of that. He could have just told me, I wouldn’t have made too much fun of him. Another dull Shakespeare reinterpretation this year I bet. Maybe Macbeth but as cowboys.”

“It’s a Broadway musical this year, and call-backs are tonight,” David corrected, and while there was something weird about his tone, Tommy couldn’t quite pin down what it was. 

“Hope he gets a part. He works hard at that stuff.”

“His call back is for one of the lead roles.”

Okay, now Tommy definitely raised his eyebrow at that. Strange how David knew so much when Tommy knew next to nothing about the mess. Granted TOmmy not knowing came down in part to the fact that he hadn’t bothered to look at bulletin boards around campus, rarely did. Well, he checked for party and band announcements, but nothing more official looking. Frankly, sitting around long enough to watch a play wasn’t something he tended to care for. But Billy was his brother, even if they hadn’t grown up together. Whether he got a good role or not, Tommy hadn’t missed a single show his twin had been in. Now he did usually get a seat in the far back to keep him from disturbing people if he chose to get his phone out and play games, or if he fell asleep, but he was always there. The Kaplans offered to get him a spot with them each time too, but Billy’s younger brothers would probably be able to get him to make a mess or a scene or lots of noises or something, so he always went out of his way to attend, just not with anyone. 

“He doing his quiet anxiety thing? You know the best way to handle him when that starts is to launch him at Teddy. Or just call Teddy over. That boyfriend of his could mellow out a hurricane. Or a hockey brawl. I think a hockey brawl is probably more violent actually, let’s stick with that one.”

“See, the issue with that is that if I called Teddy over, Billy wouldn’t be able to help me prep for my thing.”

“I mean, yeah, that’s one way to distract him from his nerves. But you know how Billy gets about these things. He eats, breathes, and sleeps the show once it’s announced. No way he could help you prep for anything. Unless it was the pl…”

David had this thing he did, and it about drove Tommy up the wall whenever it happened. When he thought someone was about to finally blunder onto some obvious point, he would do a countdown. It was always only with his fingers and thus the person he was doing it for didn’t always notice. In this case the count had clearly started before Tommy had caught sight of motion out of the corner of his eye. Made sense really, he’d gotten out his phone so he could poke at Billy a bit for hiding this from him. Like he would hold the missed Tuesday against Billy when it had to do with a play. There were also a few bits of planned revenge he had to cancel now that he thought about it. The motion did eventually catch his eyes though, just as he was mentioning the show being announced, and that got him rethinking. Got him to the point just as his mouth ran down and the finally finger curled down to show zero. And David, damn his perfect smug look, was nodding. 

“Where was I on Tuesday?” David asked, in that ‘hi I am your tutor and clearly you are a know nothing little shit’ (which was not what it actually sounded like but it was close enough for government work in Tommy’s book) voice that he had. 

“Auditioning for the play.”

A nod, and no correction to ‘musical’ either. The ‘good boy, you’re learning something’ nod. What? David was just expressive, okay? Which, when Tommy bothered to think about it now, was a good thing for a performer, wasn’t it? 

“And did you get a call back too?”

“For the other male lead.”

_ Are you going to have to kiss _ , was Tommy’s first thought. It made his stomach curl in an unfamiliar way, so he pushed it aside. Clearly it wasn’t a helpful thought. 

“You sing?”

Seemed like a better question, considering it was a musical. 

“Yeah, Auditioned with a song I liked and knew well back on Tuesday. Tonight I’m one of three guys doing some readings of lines, maybe another song, some other things they need to see us do. Billy sat through all of the initial auditions backstage I hear, he said I was the best one for the part. But, well, I prefer not to expect to get it, because then I won’t be disappointed.”

Woah. Tommy just kept staring at David. It was almost like his friend had been replaced with a different person altogether. Sure, he knew David went all in for sciences, he had no problems under pressure, and he didn’t have the fear of public speaking most people did, but this? Never in a thousand years would he have pegged David for an arts type. Apparently he was wrong. Very wrong if David had the guts to go for a lead in a musical on his first whatever this was supposed to be. Sure, he’d admitted to being sure nothing would come of it, had started with that mentality, but this was something. 

As his best friend, Tommy had an obligation to be there for him. There had to be something in the laws of friendship about that. Right after the one about ‘their fries are your fries too, unless they use vinegar like a freak.’ So how did he manage that? Should it be literally being there for him? Not that Tommy had ever gone to one of Billy’s things since just after they met. That was totally different, though. Billy auditioned for every single show, had been doing it since high school. What was one more audition? One more instance of sitting in a waiting room, bored out of his mind, while Billy did whatever it was he did behind closed doors. 

“You look like you might hurt yourself if you think much harder, Tommy,” David spoke up, his voice a soft tease. Probably a good tone for acting too, if you could do it loud enough. “I thought you said heavy mental lifting could only occur when you’re drunk.”

“Not old enough to drink yet,” Tommy mumbled right back. 

“Which was my point at the time you told me that, if I recall correctly,” David countered, again with that smile of his. “So, what are you thinking so hard about? You look almost like your head hurts. Need some aspirin? I’ve got some in my bag. Lacking that, penny for your thoughts?”

“I’m not that cheap of a date, Alleyne,” Tommy said immediately, trying to give his own most winning smile. But after a moment it faded away and he just looked more seriously at his friend. “Do… you want me to go with you? Be moral support and all that?”

Shock was there as plain as day on David’s face, and wow, it felt a little nice to surprise David. Maybe also a bit disappointing because he didn’t like that David was shocked over a nice offer like that, but mostly it was nice. Tommy watched as David leaned back, eyes huge behind his lenses. Could David maybe tell how weird it was that Tommy had so much as offered to step into the theater with him? Was it really that weird actually? Whatever. 

“It’s okay, Tommy. Could be a long night, really. The role I’m going for will need a lot of time spent picking, it’s sort of key. I don’t want to bore you waiting for me. But if you want, I could text you when I’m done. We could go grab burgers.”

“Sure, sounds like a plan. Guess I should probably wish Billy luck too.”

“Don’t you dare,” David cut in, his voice sharp as he leaned forward and jabbed a pen toward Tommy, serious heat in his eyes. “You never wish someone luck related to the stage. If you do it, I will find a way to make you pay for it. Wishing Billy luck would throw him off his game and I think he is going to get this role. He’s perfect for the part. Tell him to break a leg if you’re going to say anything at all.”

“Wow,” Tommy laughed, shaking his head at the intensity. “You’re as creepy intense about it as Billy is. Theater kids are just the strangest.”

Of course the laugh died away when he saw the hard look on David’s face. Geez, David was more serious about all of this than Tommy had expected. 

“We have a quidditch team.”

Or he could be just as good at deadpanned snark now as he had always been. Impressive as ever, and even a good point. The quidditch team as stranger. Tommy couldn’t help but smile at that. 

“Now,” David said as he finally moved to consider the expanse of his workspace before him, “can you please give me some time and space to work on my paper? I’ll text you later.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cast list goes up today and Tommy doesn't know whether or not he wants his best friend to make the cut

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Never again doing texting in a fic. Ever.

_ BK:  _ __ _ Cast list posts today _

Tommy frowned at the message on his phone. In the two or so minutes since it had made a noise and Tommy had fumbled it into his line of sight, he had only been able to figure out who was texting him. The what it was about was still a bit of a mystery. 

_ TS:  _ __ _ what bee? _

Billy had this way of messing with him first thing in the morning on Fridays. Maybe Tommy signed himself up for the extra confusion when he had decided that, since his morning class was cancelled while his professor was off at some conference or another, he was going to sleep in. What a mess. Tommy stared at the phone, trying to will an answer from his twin. If not that maybe he could ask Teddy to translate, he had better Billy sense than anyone else. Except, yep, when he cracked an eye open again Tommy was forced to admit that Teddy wasn’t there. The bed was even made already. Freak. 

The phone in his hand vibrated and beeped again and Tommy’s attention was back on the little screen too close to his face. On to the next message then. 

_ BK:  _ __ _ For the play _ _  
_ __ _ That David and I tried out for? _

Right. That. Tommy groaned as he rolled over. Usually he didn’t care about this stuff. What Billy did or didn’t do was Billy’s problem, and Tommy just lived around it. When his twin got a role the two of them and Teddy went out for dinner to celebrate most times. What actually happened was that Tommy loaded them up in the car, took them somewhere nice, and then said they could get out at the door while he found somewhere to park. Then he went back to campus by way of Billy’s favorite bakery, bought celebration cupcakes and got Billy’s dorm room decorated with David’s help. By the end of the night everyone was there to enjoy sweets and help Billy celebrate his fortune, good or bad. 

What could Tommy even do to help fit celebrating David into that mess? 

Sighing he looked back at his phone, rereading Billy’s messages before typing out his own response. 

_ TS:  _ __ _ when _

_ BK:  _ __ _ When what? _

_ TS:  _ __ _ when will b up? _ _  
_ __ _ no class til 11 _

_ BK:  _ __ _ Wow you thinking about waiting for it to get posted?  _ __  
__ _ Sure you don’t need me to come over? _ _  
_ __ __ You sound feverish

_ TS:  _ __ _ shut up or i will invade ur next d8 _

Did he even want David to get the role, Tommy wondered. It was hard enough to pin down Billy and Teddy during play season, with one acting and the other doing crew. How much harder would it be when he had to miss out on his best friend as well? Of course, now that he was thinking about it, maybe that was why David hadn’t told him about all of this until Tommy had about bothered his ears off over it. Every semester Tommy teased his twin over the stage shows and complained to David about being left behind. Hell, he’d done the same thing in high school to Kate until she told him to stop whining and ask Billy for some time at home for just the two of them. It wasn’t often that he’d played that card, but it was the ultimate origin for their standing Tuesday night plans. The start of a tradition. And no doubt David would find time for him, just like Billy did. 

_ BK:  _ __ _ Like you could handle me and Teddy being that cute _

_ TS:  _ __ _ ‘Teddy and I.’ _

_ BK:  _ __ _ Wow grammar police? How much did it hurt to type a full sentence? _ __  
__ _ Anyway get your lazy bones out of bed and start whatever schemes you have _ __  
__ _ Just make sure you’re there for David no matter how it plays out _ __  
__ _ lol _ _  
_ __ __ He’s nervous

Whatever. Like David had anything to worry about. If Billy the drama queen thought that David had a chance, then he’d get the part. They would be crazy not to cast him, and while there was a lot of crazy stuff at this school, nothing so crazy as missing talent tended to happen. Well, maybe some people missed stuff because clearly it was crazy that they hadn’t lost David’s time to some girlfriend or other yet. Or maybe David was just really good at hiding hit, which Tommy doubted. Not that he would care of course, except for losing some time with David. Because best friends were supposed to stick together. Like brothers-lite or something. 

Bros before hoes even.

Ugh, had he actually fucking thought that? Gross. 

“Need coffee. Sound like an idiot,” he announced to the room, the  _ empty _ room as he finally threw his blankets back. 

All this over-thinking clearly came from how slowly he was going this morning. Moving was what he was supposed to do. Just go, don’t stop, that was what life was supposed to be, move on and on and don’t forget what is going on but don’t be too bound by it either. People come and go, things come and go, and all that mattered was whether you could keep your feet under yourself. Which was something Tommy was good at. Moving, staying on his feet, all that. Within minutes of rolling out of bed, for instance, he was dressed, had his book bag on his back, and his empty travel cup in hand. He would be happy to have it filled by now, of course, but first he had to swing by the coffee stand for that. At least he was enough of a regular there to be sitting on a hefty discount, when he couldn’t get others to pay for him, that was. Before slipping out of his room, though, there was a text he really needed to send. And no, not to his prying twin.

_ TS:  _ __ _ hey big tee  _ _  
_ __ _ if dee gets a part i feel like he gets dinner too _

By the time Teddy’s response came back Tommy was already halfway across campus and with Kate on his arm, talking about something Tommy had already lost track of, mostly because it involved her sorority. Don’t get him wrong, he loved Kate like the sister he didn’t have, and when she’d been pledging he had cared a lot more about it because Kate would have been a great in giving him an in on a number of ladies, made it like shooting fish in a barrel. Since then he’d learned that most of them fell somewhere on a spectrum of ‘lesbian’ to ‘no time for casual guys like Tommy Shepard’ which meant he’d started to tune out the details of their lives because he frankly didn’t care. If Kate was talking about herself he’d pay more attention, but sorority gossip was not his thing.

_ TA:  _ __ _ I thought you hated being around when Billy and I get sappy.  _

_ TS:  _ __ _ actual worst thing _ __  
__ _ but dee worked hard for this  _ _  
_ __ __ & since he isnt d8ing someone has 2 sav him from the 3rd wheel thing

“Tommy, are you even listening to me?”

“Course I am, Kate,” Tommy answered as he quickly stuffed his phone back into his pocket. 

“Uh-huh. Which is totally why your phone was out. Sometimes I think you’re more in love with your social media presence than you are with your own looks, Tommy. It worries me,” Kate said, leaning in close as if she was offering up some grand secret. 

Tommy stopped them to give Kate the most horrified look he could manage for that comment. Such betrayal, what did she think he was, some Internet obsessed teeny-bopper? And where the hell had that old term come from, was that still a thing? Probably not. Damn Mrs. Kaplan for putting strange words in his head whenever he saw her. Didn’t she know he had a cool guy reputation to uphold? One slipped word and his cool guy credentials would be revoked. 

“Kate, how could you?” he asked. “We both know that there is nothing I love more than the knowledge that I am the best looking guy on campus. Perhaps in the state. Would I spend so much time preening if I didn’t love my own face so much?”

“Strange, Billy was the one who struck me as more of a preening type,” she chuckled. “Suits him, that whole flashy bird sort of thing he has going for him.”

“What? No. Not even. Billy is over-groomed, like a purse dog,” Tommy corrected her, grinning widely. “And sure, maybe I am something like a glamorous bird of paradise or whatever, but I roll out of bed this perfect.”

The word choice must have tickled Kate, or the imagery of Tommy with feathers, because she was laughing as soon as she heard it, and that was worth it all alone. Her smile wasn’t nearly as bright as David’s, but given how hard a genuine one was to win from her, Tommy was still proud to see it. He even let himself grin in pride at it as she about doubled over in the throes of laughter. 

The motion itself moved Kate just enough to make Tommy freeze. What were the chances, after all, that they would stop directly across the street from the metal and glass facade of the theater building? Sure, intellectually, Tommy knew that the thing was between his dorm and the best little coffee stand on campus, but he hadn’t really thought about it before. Now, though, he stared past Kate and wondered. Before he could help himself he pulled out his phone to check the time. A notification informed him of three texts from Teddy, which he ignored. A little under twenty minutes until his class started, so he had some time, even with coffee liens. What were the chances that…?

“Okay, now I have to wonder if you aren’t maybe texting someone a brush-off and they aren’t handling it well,” Kate’s voice cut into his thoughts, and that draw Tommy’s eyes back to her. 

“What?”

“Who are you texting with?”

“No one important. Hey, uh, mind just heading on without me? There’s something I need to check. You know my order, right? Thanks, Kate!”

It all came out in a rush, but Tommy didn’t stop. He forced the empty travel cup into Kate’s hands and darted across the quad before she could even get a word in edgewise. Chances were he would be catching up with her in a minute anyway. Billy hadn’t even given him a time frame about when the thing would be posted, but did it hurt to check? Not of course that Tommy cared that much if the cast list was posted or not, right? Still, it would be nice to ruin Billy’s whole anxious morning, take away that strange pleasure he was pretty sure his brother got from working himself up into the Super Special Kaplan Secret Tizzie. No other reason to not deliver the news with a dramatic flair, right?

Before he really had a chance to ask himself if that was really what he was doing, Tommy was at the door to the theater building and ducking inside. He told himself that the only reason he was excited to be inside was that rush of warm air that came with entering a campus building right out of the cold air. Definitely had nothing to do with a woman coming out of what was clearly an office with a fluttery piece of paper in one hand and a pushpin in the other. A woman who had that special sort of freeze and stare look that came with someone seeing him and recognizing Billy instead. 

“Oh no,” the woman said as she turned from the path to the bulletin board to instead descend on Tommy. Descend seemed the right word too, because damn if she didn’t pick up speed and and a dark look on her face like some sort of towering thunderhead about to roll him over in a storm of distaste. 

Really, Tommy wondered if he didn’t need Billy to start introducing himself by adding on an ‘oh and if you see me wandering around with roguishly stunning white-blonde hair, that’s my better looking twin.’ Clearly that point hasn’t come up with this woman yet. 

“Billy Kaplan, what have you done to your hair? Dye it back tonight,” the woman thundered. “I can’t have you on my stage with that hair. My Charlie must be…”

“Tommy,” he interrupted, holding his hand to the woman. “Billy’s better looking twin. Gotta admit, never had someone ask me to dye my hair to look more like him. Not that he could ever pull off my looks. So, did he get the part? Billy’s been talking about the show non-stop since auditions were announced.”   
  
Clearly ‘Charlie’ was something, maybe a role, but like Tommy even knew what role Billy wanted. ‘Charlie’ could be some brief side character. Sometimes they got names, you know? But that wasn’t here or there. What mattered was the lie, a calculated one. And no doubt it was absolutely easy to sell because it mostly was true most of the time. Maybe it was the fact that David had intended to try out this time and had chosen to keep it quiet that had kept Billy from gushing about it to Tommy. The news, though, earned him an appraising once over from the woman. Like she saw potential. Nope, not happening. Nip that in the butt, Shepard. Or was it ‘bud’? Oh whatever. 

“Before you say anything, I have no acting talent. Or want it. Just promised Billy and David that I’d see if the cast list was posted yet. They’re both in class right now and all.”

Now that got the woman to smile at him. Thank fuck, for half a moment he felt like a chunk of meat. Theater meat at that, which was clearly the worst kind. 

“Well, pass on the good news then. I’ve cast them as my leads. Could you…”

The rest of that was lost as Tommy grinned and offered a wink. He didn’t have time to be her messenger. Kate was waiting out there waiting with his coffee. He hoped. 

“Thanks!” Tommy called back as he darted toward the door, fishing his phone out as a he went. 

It took less time to pull David’s number up than it did to even get to the door and back out into the winter chill. Should have brought a coat, he thought to himself as his fingers flew through a text. 

_ TS: _ __ _ whtevr secret d8ing plans u got 2 woo some chick behind my back tonight _ _  
_ __ _ cancel them _

Tommy was in sight of the coffee stand and Kate when a ping told him he had a new text. Teddy maybe, because Tommy hadn’t bothered to respond to him yet. Whoops. But as he slowed down, intending to wait until Kate bought his drink before he ‘caught up,’ the text, well texts by then, shocked him. 

_ DA:  _ __ _ I’d never be in a secret relationship, Tommy. _ __  
__ _ Anyone I would get involved with I’d first vet through your crazy-ex-list.  _ _  
_ __ __ So no I have no plans. Why?

Tommy didn’t even notice he had come to a stop, please as he was with the response. Good to be trusted by your friends. Even if they were just trying to avoid your shitty luck. Which Tommy had a lot of, except for Kate. She was, like, the only civil breakup he ever had. 

_ TS: _ __ _ we go eat when castlists post _

_ DA:  _ __ _ From my understanding of it, you send Billy and Teddy off.  _ _  
_ __ _ Which follows because I’m used to helping you set up the after-date. _

_ TS: _ __ _ wanna spare u the 3rd wheel  _ _  
_ __ _ b ready @ 6 _

_ DA: _ __ _ Wait, why would I be going too? You’re not making a lot of sense. _

_ TS: _ __ _ bcuz dumbass lady @ th8r thought i was bee _ _  
_ __ _ u 2 got lead roles we r celebr8ing _

With no instant response from David, Tommy turned his attention to Teddy’s texts. Those probably wouldn’t make him feel as strange as the ones with David had. After all, Teddy wasn’t going to make him relieved if he wasn’t secret-dating someone. Actually, no, he probably would be relieved. Billy didn’t deserve someone who cheated on him. 

_ TA: _ __ _ If you want dinner with David you could just ask him _ .   
_ Ok, checked with Billy, he said it’s cool. _ _  
_ __ _ And you’re paying. _

Wow, what a dick. Also, what exactly did that first bit mean? Oh well, not important. Instead he shot off a quick message to the blonde. Whatever, not dealing with it.

_ TS: _ __ _ k but ur bf’s costar gets shotgun _ _  
_ __ _ My car my rules _

_ TA: _ __ _ Costar? You have news? _

_ TS: _ __ _ go check urself _

Sadly Teddy was spared from deeper insult by another message coming in from David. Which, of course, made Tommy grin as he considered his phone. 

_ DA: _ __ _ I made it? _

_ TS: _ __ _ duh ur amazing _ _  
_ __ _ 6pm u have shotgun dress nice _

“Now what’s going on? Because something has to be if you’re smiling like that.”

Kate’s voice just about made Tommy jump out of his skin. But he managed to fumble his phone into his pocket and hold his hands out for his coffee. A simple taste told him that she’d gotten eight sugars in it, just like he liked it, and she’d made sure there was whipped cream too.  Really, when was Kate ever not a wonder. 

“Dinner plans,” he explained between sips as he got them started toward the building she had her next class in. 

“So it was all about dating,” she teased in true Kate fashion. “Who is she?”

“Just with the guys. Billy, Teddy, David. You know, nothing special.”

“Sure, tell yourself that if you have to,” Kate mumbled as she turned them down the path to the nearest door. 

What was that supposed to mean? Not that Tommy had a chance to ask, because at that moment the campus bells chimed and with a curse Tommy bolted off. He had class in less than ten minutes, and it was halfway across campus. There was no time to think about vague statements. He would ask Kate another time.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy wakes up in a position that he doesn't know how to deal with. And a few gaps in his memory of the night before. Don't worry, David will help him fill them.

Warm. Tommy loved how warm his bed was first thing in the morning. There were blankets wrapped around him, the weight of which kept him settled during the night. NOthing was so nice as the weighted blanket that the Kaplans had gotten him for Christmas. Used to be that he had trouble sleeping through the night before this, used to be that he flailed and drove Teddy (and sometimes Billy) crazy, but now? Well, now he was comfortable, the warmth and weight of the blanket keeping him cozy and dozy. 

At least he thought as much, until the weight at his waist shifted. Which made Tommy go very,  _ very _ still. There was no way that the blanket could move on its own. As he considered it, there was definitely an arm around his waist. And the firmness against his back? TOtally not the wall. Which explained the extra warmth. 

Tommy searched his memories for any possible explanation for what had led to this position. What he remembered from last night came in fits and starts, which was a bad sign. There had been dinner of course, Tommy had taken them all out to a nice Greek place and for once he hadn’t felt weird about sitting around while Billy and Teddy were having dinner, because when the two started getting too sappy, Tommy had David there. There and willing to playfull fake being the ‘sappier couple.’ 

_ To help improve your acting skills _ , Tommy had whispered to David when they’d been waiting for a table. At first David had been unimpressed by the idea, but by the end of the night he had been getting into the act too.

After dinner they had come back to campus and found that the usual party had been set up without them. Kate had been smiling widely, pleased with herself. There were the usual cupcakes Tommy got, and the decorations that David usually managed were even up. Tommy thought that was because of Cassie, given how she’d been grinning with pride. None of that explained how he ended up in his own bed, though, much less with another person wrapped around him. 

“Stop thinking so loud.”

The voice, whispered low and in his ear, just about had Tommy flailing. Not that it would have gotten him anywhere, with how the arm at his waist tightened, pulling Tommy back against the warmth of David’s body, even as David’s face nuzzled against his neck. And then nothing. A few solid minutes of nothing. Of soft breathing in his ear, of the gentle swell and sink of a chest behind him, of… David sleeping? How? And content to just hold Tommy? What the fuck, man?

“David,” Tommy said, a bit impressed by the levelness of his own voice. Because he, quite frankly, was freaking out a little. Waking up with a girl in his bed was one thing. The only time he woke up with an unexpected guy in his bed was when it was when Billy, extremely tired or confused in the night, ended up cuddled up to him instead of Teddy. “What in the world are you doing in my bed?”

There was a long moment with nothing, but he did hear  _ and feel _ , David’s breathing pick up. He was awake now. 

“Noh-Varr brought drinks.”

If nothing else, that explained the minor void in his memory from the night before. Sure, some of it was there now that David mentioned that detail. Shots of Fireball from shot-glasses shaped like rocket ships, music throbbing in Billy and David’s room as Noh managed music. Bodies flowing out of the room and into the common area and a voice, probably Billy’s, worrying that the RA Eli would bust them for underaged drinking. Which only held until Eli himself showed up and donated a music mix that didn’t involve the Kreexperience. Somehow their normally private thing had extended into some sort of hall party, just the sort of party Tommy lived for on the weekends. Probably had to do with the fact that David, the wet blanket of the post-casting party committee, had instead been out to dinner with them. Which meant more reasonable party people could take over. 

“Still doesn’t explain why you’re in my bed.”

That got a groan from David. At last he was moving, his arm unwrapping from Tomy’s waist as he rolled away. Tommy was forced to bite his lip to keep from groaning at the loss. Of the heat of course, only the heat. David was warm and the process of his friend throwing back the blankets to get away meant the blankets being just short of flung off of Tommy as well. Still, Tommy found himself rolling over to consider David, who was stooping to pick up a discarded pair of pants. The fact that he still had his boxers and shirt from the night before on gave Tommy a strange flash of relief. Which was stupid. His drunk hook-ups followed two rules: never friends, and always stunning women. Granted as his normal friend group only had Kate and Cassie there wasn’t so much of a risk to breaking the first rule. 

“Two reasons. Actually, three when I think about it. First, you were drunk enough to need help finding you way back here. Second, by the time things had started to wind down it was very clear it would be important that I not be in my own bed, given how Billy and Teddy were acting.”

Tommy nodded along as he listened, his eyes mostly focused on watching David pulling his pants on. For half a moment he considered how unfair it was, just how strong David’s legs were. Not even kidding, Tommy was on the track team, fastest man there, and even his legs didn’t have that muscle. Maybe he really should join David and Noh on leg day at the gym. Not that ladies put as much value into a good pair of legs as they did into guys like Teddy who had serious guns. Oh well, Tommy would rather be built like a runner anyway. Less likely to rip a shirt with a poorly timed flex. 

“Okay, I can see part of the picture here. Can even see me offering you  _ Teddy’s  _ bed. So, third reason? Better be good or you’re buying me breakfast,” Tommy insisted. 

“LIke I ever have anything but good reasons,” David chuckld, and like that he was moving out of Tommy’s reach to sit on the edge of Teddy’s bed. Not that Tommy could provide a satisfactory answer to why that detail was important to him, but somehow it was. “When I finally got you into your bed, which was an ordeal let me tell you, you got… clingy.”

“Bull,” Tommy countered. He threw back his blankets and ended up biting his lip to keep from cursing at the chill of the room on his bare legs. It was usually Teddy who remembered to turn the heat up a bit before bed, which Tommy missed him for right now. Was it possible to have goosebumps over your stomach, because Tommy thought he had managed it. And now he was sort of wondering why he wasn’t wearing anything but his underwear. More than that, had he really slept through the night, spooned by David, while mostly naked? So weird.

With all those thoughts in mind Tommy moved to get up, but the second his feet hit the floor the curse he’d been holding back exploded forth and he jerked his feet back up onto the bed. Across the room David smirked before pushing to his feet. What was he made of, Tommy wondered, that he could so easily walk, barefoot, over the icy floor to Tommy’s dresser? Man, or God? Probably closer to the latter with how he opened a drawer, pulled a pair of socks out, and tossed them to Tommy before heading to Teddy’s desk. 

“I think it was because I helped undress you some. You’re a really insistent drunk, so you know,” David countered. As Tommy pulled the socks on David opened a drawer in the desk, to pull out a bottle of aspirin. The sound of pills rattling around as the bottle flew through the air and Tommy caught it was like a bolt of pain behind his eyes. Okay, so maybe he had been drunk enough for David’s story to be believable. Not enough for the really bad sort of hangover he normally got himself into, which was strange, but definitely a hangover.

“Water?” he asked, watching David move confidently through the room. 

“You know, I feel like I’m your personal waterboy. Between keeping you hydrated last night so you wouldn’t be completely miserable this morning and this… I’m not the water fairy.”

David returned with a water bottle from the case Tomy kept near his own, more rarely used, desk. As he offered it over David smiled, that wide and bright David Alleyne smile that it was not only too early for, but which might actually generate too much of a glare of light for the headache Tommy was growing more and more aware of. 

Just to be safe, Tommy took three aspirin. 

“More like the hot-water-bottle-fairy,” Tommy grumbled after the pills had been washed down with the water. “Now back a step. You were in my bed because you helped me undress? Don't’ tell me Billy is rubbing off on you, dude.”

“As if. He really isn’t my type,” David rolled his eyes. 

“Just so moved by my body that you couldn’t bear the space then?”

The look on David’s face was utterly blank, not even a hint that he might be flustered. How boring. Only boring. Nothing else. With a sigh Tommy got to his feet and moved toward his dresser. Once he reached there he shucked off his boxer briefs and was soon rooting around for a clean pair. 

“As I was saying, I assume some wires got crossed when I helped out. Because after I got the blankets over you and started to move away, you grabbed my arm,” David explained, and Tommy had to wonder why his voice sounded weird. A quick glance over his shoulder told him David was looking away from him as he changed. Tommy enjoyed a quiet chuckle at the bashfulness as David continued. “You wouldn’t let go. Insisted that I couldn't leave you alone.”

“And you listened to that?” Dude, even  _ I  _ don’t believe what drunk Tommy says. And I  _ am  _ drunk Tommy. More or less,” Tommy laughed aloud this time, even as he found and tugged on some new underwear, almost immediately followed by sweatpants suitable for running. 

“Like it would ever be that simple with you, Shepard. No, drunk you has a grip like a steel trap. Couldn’t get away, and I tried. In the end I had no choice. Figured I could placate you with a few minutes of lying down. And apparently I fell asleep instead.”

Oh, well, that made sense. An awful lot of it, actually. Damn. 

Tommy froze for a half a moment to consider that reaction. And, almost as soon as he decided to think about it, he dismissed the line of question again, instead pulling on the t-shirt in his hands before reaching for the hoodie discarded across the back of his desk chair. Something told him down that path was danger, and he didn’t care to think of why. Better to lament the fact that the good answer meant he couldn’t insist that David owed him breakfast. And since that wasn’t going to be a thing, he was going to do something out. Head hurting or not it was beyond time that he started gearing his training back up. Not that he needed to practice running or anything. Clearly he was perfect all on his own. Still, had to make sure other people weren’t jealous that he did everything with no effort. So a minimum was required. Perfection was intimidating, so you had to be a bit less than it from time to time. And thinking about that, he’d probably want to add in sunglasses just to deal with the sun and his headache, but he could manage.

“Wow,” Tommy teased as he turned his attention back to David with a smirk, “that had to admit you just wanted to be close to me?”

“Idiot,” David shook his head. “With a friend like you, who needs headaches?”

“You,” grinned as David leaned down for his shoes. “Going running. Wanna join?”

“Hardly,” David said as he worked at the laces. He had fingers just as nimble as the rest of him, Tommy noted. 

And that thought was also stupid and dismissed pretty quickly.

“I need food, to check make sure I can even go back to my room without needed a blindfold or something, to check and see if my RA has written anyone up…”

“Don’t worry, man. Eli is cool,” Tommy cut him off. “And if he wasn’t, Kate scares him.”

“Regardless, I have things to do. Lunch?”

“Always, man. See you at noon. Deli, like usual. Lock up when you leave,” Tommy called, already heading for the door, grabbing his keys, wallet and phone. He’d buy a water or something out in the world. Right now he had an overwhelming need to be moving. Now. Just run and run and try and clear his head. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are love.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy needs to be more attentive when people are talking around him, because he isn't quite prepared for the sort of Friday night his friends have planned this week.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry. Was sick and injured. Better now.

“You all alone, cutie?”

New rule: never blindly agree to go to a bar with his twin brother without first vetting the venue himself. Because, not even for the first time tonight, Tommy found himself looking up at his third, what was the term Teddy had used before he’d been abandoned in favor of dancing with Bully? Oh, right. Bear, his third bear of the night, reasonably drawn in by his absolutely killer looks. In a way he wondered if he shouldn’t be flattered to know that he had (and this was only a partial listing for the night) killer cheekbones, an ass that didn’t quit, perfectly pouty lips, and hair that looked like it needed pulled. Okay, there had been quality compliments in there as well, the sorts guaranteed to make Billy swoon, but he was not the right twin. 

And he’d gotten bored of directing people toward Billy and Teddy for laughs. Mostly because Teddy was starting to look like a protective, possessive, possibly murder-capable boyfriend whenever other guys got too close to Billy and that only earned the burly blonde more affection and Tommy was not okay with the idea of them making out in his back seat. 

Still, he got it, even here it probably took a bit of confidence to work up the nerve to approach a guy as hot as him. So he had to let the guy down nicely.

“No,” he said, turning to consider the guy, and he regretted the second look. The first appraisal of ‘bear’ was right, but damn the fishnet shirt and leather bracelets or whatever up his arms was not cool. Even if he was into guys that would not be what got him going. “Here with my twin and his boyfriend. Designated driver and all, they’d be lost without me. In fact, I should check in on them. Thanks for the reminder. And there is a nice blonde guy down the bar, the one with the sapphires in his ears? He’s eyeing you right now. I’d suggest buying him a drink.”

With that Tommy scooped up his drink, luridly blue and in a fishbowl with a taste halfway between a warhead candy and a jolly rancher, and strode off. Okay, maybe not his most elegant extraction given he was so obviously drinking, but wow. He was so beyond done with being hit on. What did he have to do, tell these people he had a boyfriend? No, that wouldn’t work, because he would get asked where the guy was, or how could a good boyfriend leave him alone or whatever. He knew it because he’d used the line himself in the past, granted he was resolved to never use it again because fuck he felt bad for it now. Whatever. If he claimed boyfriend he would have to produce one, and he couldn’t ask Billy or Teddy for obvious reasons, and a stranger wouldn’t work either so there was no… 

Oh.

Oh, that could  _ work _ . And it would be good revenge or being abandoned. 

With a new goal in mind, Tommy cast his eyes around to find his target. Took him a while with the low ‘mood’ lighting and the distraction of music thrumming and all the moving bodies, but at last his eyes settled on a booth in the corner and he took off through the crowd of bodies. It would be easy to wave through them normally, he was quick on his feet, but balancing his drink without spilling any was clearly what was holding him up. Not the fact that this was his second or third of these tonight. That clearly wasn’t the issue, duh. Also, for the record, he was never letting himself get dragged to a gay bar again, not even by his own stupidity. 

At last the crowds parted and his target was in rock throwing distance. No, bad metric. He wasn’t about to throw rocks, something about glass houses or whatever the metaphor was. Anyway, target acquired, close, and distracted enough for Tommy to make a move. Which in this case was putting his drink on the table, plopping down on a rather too narrow margin of seat left to him, and turning to smile at David’s absolutely stunned expression. He looked good like that, Tommy mused to himself, but there wasn’t time for that if he was going to sell this story. 

Tommy leaned further into the personal space of his best friend and gave him a quick peck on the cheek like he’d seen Billy give Teddy about a trillion and three times. 

“Hey  _ sweetie _ , been looking for you forever. Leaving me alone for all these men to eye me. Some boyfriend you are,” Tommy said in that special, sickening coo Billy used when he was trying to be adorable to some shit. The tittering from the other side of the table absolutely said he had totally nailed it. Now if only David could read his mind and…

“Tommy.  _ Dear _ ,” David said after he had fought down his shock of something, and oh boy that tone said Tommy was going to be in trouble later. Probably worth it with how David was totally blushing a bit. Or maybe that was the light here. Either way there were strong hands gripping his shoulders to hold him still while David put a bit of space between them. Damn strong hands. He was going to impress a girl someday with those. “I thought you were going to give me time to talk to these fine ladies tonight. Maybe your brother would…”

“Oh it’s no problem, dearie,” a woman across the table answered. 

Tommy turned to thank the voice for their input when he froze. Because turned out that, well, that wasn’t a woman. None of the three were women. At all. 

“David…”

“Tommy, these lovely ladies are who I came to meet tonight. Meet Lexy, Lily and Lottie. The Luscious Ladies. They’re the main entertainment for the show here tonight.”

When David spoke each lady nodded in turn. Lexy was the fairest of the three opposite if he had to pick one, with a body as lean as Tommy’s own, her heart-shaped face framed by golden curls and the shape of her body as accented with a satiny blue dress. Next to her was LIly, with skin closer to David’s tone, but darker, with wide lips and pale eyes that stood out more next to the bright pink of the… was that a teddie? Last and definitely not least was the crimson clad redhead Lottie, who was probably bigger than Teddy. She was actively eyeing Tommy, and no doubt was the one who had spoken because she was looking pleased with herself. 

She, and he insisted on using that pronoun even though all three were definitely guys. 

“You’re all…”

Again Tommy was being cut off, this time by Lily. “Queens, dear. And good ones. With voices like angels if you must know.”

“He must,” David confirmed, and Tommy saw a smirk on his friend’s lips. A smirk that had Tommy torn between looking at David and watching the ladies on the other side of the table. 

“We came here for them?” I thought this was for Teddy and Billy to get their dance on.”

David looked almost exasperated. Almost. So Tommy smiled at him, knowing his charm would help. Help what he didn’t know, but did it hurt to try? Probably not. So he smiled until he found only annoyance in David’s gaze in the face of Tommy’s lack of memory. What, it was hardly his fault? This outing hadn’t been his plan. He’d been trying to figure out what he wanted his Friday to be, flopped down on his bed as he scrolled through his phone’s contacts list to try and figure out whether he should seek old company or new. Then Teddy, big old reliable Teddy, had mumbled something into his phone about ‘the bar’ and, well, there was all the sign in the world that Tommy had needed. So no, he’d never known what the point David implied existed had been. It was just drinking to him. 

“Your cutie seems to have a memory like a sieve,” Lexy said, and her voice was like rum soaked raisins: sweet and intoxicating at the same time. “He came for advice, dearie. His small, adorable friend… Lottie what was that charming lad’s name again?”

“Billy,” Lily and David supplied as one.

“My twin,” Tommy guessed at the same time as he lifted his glass to sip once more at the blue flavor there. “Why did he set this up?”

The ladies turned their attention as one to David, and Tommy followed their gaze right along. Clearly there was some super secret sort of conversation going on right now, and it connected David to the drag queens. Tommy of course, was jealous. How dare the drag queens have some super ultra secret means of holding David’s attention? Really, he’d about kissed David, sorta, in a friend way even if he was pretending David was his boyfriend and David was half-pretending back or whatever, but the trio were the ones talking to him without words? Not. Cool. 

“Ladies, do you mind if I have a moment with my man? Clearly he needs to be the center of my attention for a bit,” David sighed, and while there was a shared look between the queens, none of them protested. 

While they vacated the booth with polite noises, Tommy put his attention fully on his drink, taking long sips through the straws he’d mostly been ignoring. The flavor ran over his tongue like a promise,the same sort of promise alcohol always had when it washed down his throat. Good times and confidence, a lack of fear when faced with the unknown, and laughter that came easier than it ever really should come for him. Made places like this easier. Made talking to someone easy, loose, free. And made David’s smile out of the corner of Tommy’s eye even sweeter. 

Or maybe that was a smirk.

“I am going to find your fake ID and destroy it someday,” David sighed and Tommy pulled back from his drink. Definitely not a smile or smirk. 

“Please wait until I’m 21?”

David rolled his eyes and reached over, pulling the drink away from Tommy. Fine, he could deal with that. Besides, it was nice to look at David with that disapproval on his face. Not a ‘you disappoint me and I don’t want you around’ sort of look like Billy and Teddy sometimes gave him. No, it was a ‘I know you can do better’ sort of look. Which was about seven different kinds of wrong because no one ever expected him to do better, but Tommy liked that was how David looked at him. Like there was always ways that Tommy could be better in his eyes, but he was already good enough. That David had faith in the idea that Tommy could get even better. Those gentle eyes just focused on him like he mattered, and it always made him feel warm inside, like alcohol in his gut. 

“You don’t remember why we came here, do you? Your mind really is a sieve when you drink, like when you couldn’t remember why I was in your bed,” David said, a softness in his voice that was  impressive, mostly because it was still there despite how loudly David had to speak to be heard, even this close. 

“Nope,” Tommy grinned. “But I still say I didn’t drag you into bed. You wanted to be that close. So, tell me again? I’m saying Billy didn’t tell me, but come on, share.”

“The play I’m in, Tommy.”

“How does that figure in to drag queens?”

He couldn’t help but smile at the way David rolled his eyes. Then David was leaning in, close, so damn close. Close enough that Tommy could feel David’s breath against his ear. Which made him shiver in a way he absolutely liked. Note to self: get women to do that some. It felt… intimate. 

“The show involves cross-dressing, Tommy. A drag queen helping a British shoe maker save his family business. Figured talking to them might help me get a better grip on my character.”

What would it take to keep that voice in his ear?

His attention was so focused on that question that Tommy didn’t catch the problem with the next words before he spoke them. “So, you going to wear a dress?”

The way David jerks away from him definitely sells the regret to Tommy, bought retail prices for wholesale bulk. 

“Would it matter if I did?” David asks, voice sharp.

“Billy does stupid stuff for plays all the time. Doesn’t matter, right?”

“Right,” David sighed. “Now go away. Please. I ma not being your fake boyfriend to protect you from the guys here. If you had a problem with getting hit on, you shouldn’t have come. Shoo. I need to talk to the ladies.”   
  
“Can I at least have my drink back?”

“Not happening. I want you to remember this tomorrow, idiot,” David said, his voice half fond as Tommy found himself being shoved away. Fine. He’ll go. But when he found a new seat, he thought he might just watch David for a while. Just… just because. 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy finally learns just what this musical means for David's fashion sense.

Downside to the whole best friend  _ and  _ brother opting to work with the musical was that TOmmy found himself alone more nights than not. At first there had been Teddy to keep him company, the guy was his roommate after all. Then Teddy went so far as to join the crew for the show. Sure, he wasn’t alone just because of that. There were other friends, other bursts of time, and honestly the trio were still respecting Tuesday’s sanctity, but for now things were a bit strained with the most important people in his life, mostly because he was more or less alone. 

In the end he’d come up on the best approach he could manage. Which meant Tommy grabbed every moment he could with his friends. In this case it meant that Tommy found himself agreeing to something he never would have before. It also meant Billy staring at him, hazel eyes wide in shock. Perhaps even a touch of horror. 

“Dude, seriously? You never…”

“What, you backing out now, B-boy?” Tommy snapped, hiking his bag further up his shoulder before leaning against the wall next to Billy’s door grinning like a madman. How else was he supposed to smile when his brother was so thrown off guard by a simple yes. Which might say he had messed something up, but he didn’t care. 

“You really want to join me and David…”

“David and I.”

“Oh my god, don’t get grammar police on me you punk. I ask you all the time to join  _ David and me _ , for studying nights and you always opt out. What changed?”

Billy was stalling. In fact, his key was in the door but he wasn’t turning it in the lock. ALmost like he didn’t want Tommy in there. Which of course meant Tommy wanted in even more. Wasn’t like Billy to try and shut him out like that, not by any stretch of the imagination. Granted he wasn’t wrong about Tommy being surprising right now, not that Tommy cared. Just wanted in there. David was on the other side of that door. Teddy would be by soon. He could hang out with his friends, even if all they did was reading assignments and homework. Granted they could do that in a lounge or at the library, but the room was nicer.

“Lot of homework, my room feels so far away right now. And you did invite me so unless it was empty…?

That managed what he wanted, which was to get Billy to roll his eyes and turn the key. Soon the door was open and Billy was stepping in cautiously, then almost yelping as he dodged to the side. Tommy was able to watch as a show sailed through the air, out through the door, and hit the far wall of the hall. The whole of its flight was followed by Tommy, a set of tan, high heeled boots with a huge silver bundle. 

“Sorry,” David’s voice came from the room, and Billy’s laughter followed it as Tommy moved to collect the boot. Which, surprisingly enough, was in nothing resembling a women’s size. 

Okay, that wasn’t fair. There were ladies out there who towered over Tommy which meant clearly they were likely to have larger feet. These, those, were larger than even he could wear. Coming from David’s room. David who had, a couple weeks back, spent an evening talking to drag queens. With a sigh Tommy leaned down to scoop up the boot, before turning and heading into the dorm room. Once he had closed the door behind him he tossed his bag toward the nearer bed, David’s in this particular case. David, who was in his desk chair, rubbing at one foot. On the other foot was the twin to the tan, high-heeled boot, which got Tommy to raise a curious eyebrow before he offered the shoe out to David. 

“Sorry about that,” David sighed as he tucked the shoe under the edge of his bed. Which of course drew Tommy’s gaze to the area. It wasn’t hard to make out the set of no doubt knee-high, violet leather-esque boots with six inch heels and rhinestones down the back next to where the tamer tan boots went. WHich made everything into a serious question for him, rather than just a passing amusement. 

Billy must have had a feeling about that, snorting in amusement. Asshole. The noise menat Tommy was flipping his twin off, and David chuckled at the interplay. Of course he did, Tommy got it. David was an older brother too, he got that it wasn’t always the whole show it seemed to be. The bird was almost affectionate here, and helped reinforce his annoyance at his brother. 

“What do I care if he gets off dressing like a woman? Though, fuck man, heels that big? You’re already way too tall as it is, David. What’s up with that?”

Once more Tommy’s attention turned to David, whose long fingers, and for a moment Tommy’s eyes followed them. Which he figured was sorta weird, but he just brought them up to David’s. Eyes that weren’t even trying to meet his gaze. What? Had he said something wrong? 

“Tommy, do you just not pay attention when I tell you what we are up to?” Billy sighed, pulling Tommy’s attention to his twin. Just the right sort of tone to get TOmmy looking at him with a touch of annoyance. He hated getting called on his lack of investment in Billy’s acting pursuits, wasn’t it enough that he went to the plays? 

“Well, I mean, we managed to get me into a gay bar because I failed to realize what was up, so yeah, probably don’t pay enough attention.”

“And here I thought it was a subtle way of coming out, given the way you decided to hang off of David after he was done talking.”

“Woah,” David finally spoke up, his eyes wide and voice shocked for the moment. “You know he was using me to keep the men off of him. As a friend, I was glad to help.”

No reason for Tommy to defend himself from the ridiculous accusation, he even offered David a smile as thanks. A smile that David returned, soft and perhaps a touch warm. Of course when Tommy returned his attention to Billy he only found disbelief on his face. No, not quite that. More like a ‘I don’t believe that because you don’t believe that either’ look. Which was completely wrong to offer, given the fact that Tommy absolutely believed it because it was the truth. That was a lack of faith in him from his twin that he could pursue later. For now he just wanted someone to explain things to him. 

“Fine,” David mumbled into the stalemate between Tommy and Billy. “Tommy, I spend a good portion of the show in shoes like these. The whole premise is that a guy, Billy, inherits his family's failing shoe factory and meets a drag queen who laments how even getting boots like theses in his size can’t support him long, because of how much heavier men can be, things like that. They work together to revitalize and save the company by making sexy shoes for drag queens. I have to learn to walk, dance, balance on one foot, all in heels. So I spend time each night practicing here.”

“There are a number of guys on campus doing the same,” Billy continued. “The main chorus for David is guys, and it isn’t like we grew up with an expectation of heels like ladies did. And building up the foot and leg strength for it all takes dedication. An insane amount of it. Easier on the ladies at the end of the show.”

“At least it isn’t as bad as it could be,” David shrugged. “Tim has to pull of cartwheels in them, and Dick gets the splits.”

“Wow, this is going to be a weird show to watch, isn’t it?” Tommy chucked, shaking his head.

“Beyond weird,” Billy smiled. “Based on a real life event. And David got an amazing role.”

“If it helps, I won’t always be in skirts and heels. Suits sometimes, and there is a scene with boxing, okay?” David shrugged.

“Dude, you went out for it, and I’m supporting you,” Tommy promised. “No teasing. Except, you know, over you already being insanely too tall without extra height. And if anyone on campus gives you grief…”

“Noah will kick their ass for me,” David laughed. 

“And Kate. While wearing heels to rival those,” Billy agreed with a chuckle. “She’s already promised it.”

Of course she would. No wonder she had seemed so amused these last Tuesdays. In fact, he had more than once heard her refer to his footwear as ‘sensible.’ Explained a few things as well, maybe?

Didn’t explain how she looked at Tommy out of the corner of her eyes as if she expected him to explain something. Or maybe do something. Tommy could rarely tell the difference these days. Which was strange. It was like he wouldn’t talk to him anymore about the things that mattered like her sorority sisters. Instead she kept bringing it all back to the upcoming play. To David too. Weird. 

“You’re welcome to join them,” David suggested. “They’re calling themselves the Kinky Wrecking Crew.”

Okay, even Tommy could be forgiven for how he burst out laughing. Especially given how neither Billy nor David seemed offended by it. Where the hell did they come up with a name like that? Going to make them sound like sex fiends. Or kink-shamers.”

“Fucking hell, Tommy,” David groaned. “The  _ show  _ is called Kinky Boots. It makes sense.”

Oh.

Well Tommy just loved that. He grinned at that news and nodded.

“Well then, I’m in. I will join your Kinky Wrecking Crew.”

“Not mine,” David protested. “Kate’s. And I feel like you would need some boots. Kate and Noah both said they would kick ass in them. Granted, Noah’s aren’t stilettos.”

“In fact, you could try mine,” Billy grinned, pulling a pair of bright red ones out from under the bed. 

“You too? Fuck, Billy, you probably enjoy it,” Tommy sighed, shaking his head at the things Billy held out. 

“He has to learn to wear them, stumble around, and fell without getting hurt,” David shrugged. “Whole final number and the curtain call of the show are done with the whole cast in them, more or less. He has the harder job if you ask me.”

Tommy just laughed. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the promise of noodles after rehearsal, Tommy stops by a bit early and sees David in action. And Billy has some things to say about that. But don't worry, because Tommy is clearly going to be the most supportive friend ever, and there's no problems there. None.

_DA:_        _By some stretch of the impossible, I’m between papers and major projects this week._ _  
_ _Want some time together? Know I owe you bad._

 _TS:_        _noodles after rehearsal?_

_ DA:      _ _ Sounds good to me. Meet me at the stage at seven. _

The messages had been exchanged hours earlier, like, five or something. David had missed lunch and Tommy was doing his best to not hold that against his best friend. Hell, it was getting even harder to keep in touch with what was supposed to be the Tommy Shepherd posse these days. Granted opening night was in, what, a week and a half now? Tommy already had his tickets, provided by the Kaplans of course, for the Saturday show they were going to be able to make it to, apparently one of the twerps had a basketball game next Friday so they weren’t going to be able to make opening night this time around. Frankly, Tommy was a bit disappointed that he was going to miss another of his adoptive brother’s games, but there wasn’t much he could do about that. At least someone else the Kaplans raised was going into legitimate hobbies like sports. 

Still, he was going to get a chance at some food tonight and that managed hopefully alone with his best friend so he wasn’t about to complain about what he was getting to have a few minutes with David when they weren’t focusing on class work. Sure, he’d taken to more time with David and Billy and Teddy during study sessions, which were now sometimes spilling into the library study rooms rather than being constrained only to Billy and David’s room. Those two always brought a bag with their heels to the study rooms and switched into them once they got there, stressing that it was important for them to get past the potential for blisters and to work the shoes into comfortable to wear, especially David. 

Even with all of that, though, Tommy had only ever seen Billy walking around in the things, which his brother was scary good at. Whenever he stared suspiciously at Billy he found either his twin or Teddy throwing out the reminder that as part of his theater pursuits, Billy had taken more than a few dance classes growing up. Managing strange bits of balance was just something Billy had learned to put up with. Teddy of course was in his corner because he clearly enjoyed having Billy tall enough to more easily steal kisses. Gross, but was that really any different from how they normally were? David though? For all Tommy knew, he couldn’t even walk around in the things, because he never even stood in them. Just sat there and focused on the work in front of him. 

Perhaps that was why Tommy was so motivated to show up a bit before rehearsal was done. There was always a chance that he’d get a glimpse, right? Because David would make grumbling noises afterward about how bad his feet and legs hurt. So surely, even if he wasn’t doing anything at the moment, he’d probably be around in the things, right? All Tommy wanted was to see what the fuss was about, and maybe be able to tease David about how stupidly tall he was in the things. 

So why then was he hesitating outside of the doors to the stage? Not like Tommy had anything to be worried about by going into that area, right? He was just being stupid, or half worried that whatever director was in there might throw him out. Yeah, that was it. Nothing else. With a sigh he moved to the door and pulled it open just enough for him to slip through and close it behind him without a real sound to speak of. Of course even if he had made a sound it wouldn’t have been noticed, would it? Because there was music in here, no doubt the background part of whatever number they were working on right now. Whatever number David was working on, because there was no denying the power of his voice cutting through the area, not as loud as it could be because there clearly weren’t speakers on right now, but still enough for Tommy to make it out mostly without issue as he turned to regard the stage.

“No need to be embarrassed,” David’s voice cut through the air with a confident and sassy edge, not singing for the moment. Was that even something people were supposed to do in the middle of songs in musicals? Ugh, why did it even have to be a musical again? “I like being looked at. And  _ you  _ like to look. I know a way to make us both happy.”

With all the house lights up and him in the back of the huge room it was almost impossible for Tommy to really make out David’s expression as the backup singers or chorus or whatever took the song back up and then David was turning away. No, striding away with confidence on what could be nothing more than a strappy pair of heels. Tommy had seen their like on Kate’s feet often enough not to remember her complaints about how sometimes the straps would dig into her skin if they weren’t perfectly fitted. He remembered telling her once that if they weren’t comfortable, she shouldn’t wear them. All she’d done is shrug and told Tommy that there were things women did for beauty and confidence for their own sakes that had nothing to do with what guys expected out of them. 

Slowly Tommy moved further into the theater, before finally finding a seat still mostly out of sight, far enough in the back that no one would really comment on his presence. Which was probably for the best, because damn, this whole thing was strangely uncomfortable to watch. Because, across the theater, up on center stage, was his best friend looking so much different than he had when Tommy had seen him that morning that he didn’t know what to do with it. Not to say that David wasn’t as confident as he was up there, and damn did David have stage presence, but David was just a strangely quiet guy even when he was radiating confidence normally. He was slacks and pressed shirts and sweaters, always in the middle of thinking of some school project, or reviewing someone else’s work, or even just turning that massive brain of his to the task of tearing everyone else apart in Smash Brothers Tournaments. Nor was this the David he was used to who got up early on Saturday mornings with Tommy and Noah for time at the gym, though it looked a bit more like that. If nothing else the workout pants and tank-top that looked just about painted onto David, showing off every bit of muscle as he strut and danced around the stage, voice echoing out in the song, was something like Tommy was used to.

Or at least it was until David and two other guys in heels on either side of him did a high kick between words so high that it looked like he could easily have put his foot on top of  _ Teddy’s _ head. While standing. Oh holy fuck, who even knew David was  _ that flexible _ ? And why the hell was this room so damn hot? If these performers had been here practicing for hours, shouldn’t the air conditioning be on for them? Fainting from the height that the heels gave David would probably be guaranteed concussion, was he right?

“He’s amazing, right?”

“Oh holy fuck!” Tommy yelped, just about jumping out of his skin as he tilted his head back enough to look at his twin, who had sat down behind him at some point. Had Tommy been so distracted that he hadn’t even noticed Billy sneaking up on him? Well, clearly he was just caught up in how amazingly talented David was when he was singing, nothing more. “That’s a dick move, bro. Beyond dick move, sneaking up on someone.”

“And ogling your best friend is much better?” Billy teased, and contorted as he was, Tommy found Billy’s smirk even more infuriating. “You’re really lucky that the guys get hyper focused during their songs, Director Kurt too, because he’d throw you on your ass for interrupting rehearsal. Last thing he needs is one of his stars distracted during a number.”

“You’re distracted,” Tommy countered, finally moving so he could twist around in his seat and look at Billy right-side up. Still David’s voice carried in the air, and there was nothing Tommy wanted to do more right now than just listen to it, because he had never really known this side of his friend. Clearly the group needed to go out to karaoke at some point. David had so been holding out on him. 

“I’ve finished my work for the night. They’re just going to another round of this before we’re dismissed for the night. What brings you in?”

“David and I are getting food after. He owes me for how much you are both bailing, and since your first priority is to Teddy, he owes for both of you,” Tommy offered with a shrug. 

“Yeah, if this show takes much longer, I feel like you’re going to ditch us all for Noah and become a groupie or something,” Billy chuckled as he pushed himself up from his seat. “Come on, I’ll wait outside for him with you.”

“Outside? Come on, man, this chair is comfortable.”

There was a strange look that passed over Billy’s face at that statement. Some sort of mix of understanding and speculation, which clearly wasn’t something that someone was supposed to have at the same time, right? They were contradictory. And yet there it was on Billy’s face, clear as day, and a touch of amusement too, right there around the eyes. Whatever Billy was on about, he thought he’d found something amazing. How was he related to this lame guy?

“Yeah, but the director doesn’t like the cast getting distracted during debrief, and you’re definitely going to distract David once he catches sight of you,” Billy answered as he tilted his head in a way that said he expected Tommy to follow.

Fine, whatever, Tommy could behave. Not that he could think of any reason why David would be more or less distracted by him than he was by anyone else. You know, other than the being self-conscious about the heels thing, which clearly was true given David moved around so confidently in them up on the stage but didn’t ever walk in them around Tommy. Probably expected he’d get given as much grief as Billy got from him. Which was completely wrong. David wearing them was a whole different beast. Mostly because Billy was his twin and there was an expectation of teasing that couldn’t be assumed with his best friend. 

At last Tommy pushed to his feet and under Billy’s watchful eye he slipped back out of the theater proper. What a buzzkill his brother could be. Maybe if he disowned Billy for a few hours the guy would loosen up a bit? Then again, he doubted it. Theater kids were just, inherently, extra as fuck. Something you learned to live with when sharing a bedroom with one for so long. Maybe he needed summer break to be here already so he could get used to cramped spaces and show-tunes hummed under his brother’s breath for the entirely of theater camp season, when Billy was invariably helping kids at local community theaters or whatever it was he was supposed to be doing while Tommy was instead doing training and summer jobs and David was…

Summers were the worst actually, or would be. Last summer David had gone back to his family in Chicago and a brief internship at some school out there for some project or another. A whole summer where his interactions with his best friend had either been texting or skype. Yeah, no, he’d pass. Even putting up with this musical on top of classes left David with more time for Tommy than he’d had over the summer. And it wasn’t like the show would be running very long. He’d have his friend back soon, and he intended to monopolize the time. 

Outside of the theater he found Billy sitting on a nearby bench, swapping the heels he’d apparently been in out for a pair of basic canvas shoes, and he looked relieved to be in them. 

“Not used to you being out of those at this point,” Tommy observed as he flopped down next to his darker twin. “Thought Teddy was getting off on them or something, with how often you wore them.”

“It’s more that I’m not as confident in them as some of the other guys on the cast. There’s a part in the end where I have to go on stage in these knee high red leather boots. Which wouldn’t be so bad if I didn’t do a song and the curtain call in those, a shirt and blazer, and boxers. No pants. I’m… Fuck, I’m still nervous about that.”

“Oh hell, I don’t wanna see that,” Tommy groaned, leaning back so his head could rest against the wall. “Your legs are bony as fuck.”

“We’re identical twins, more or less,” Billy reminded him, and Tommy could hear the frown in his voice.

“But I’m a track star, Billy. Which means every day is leg day. My legs are about the most perfect thing ever. I have glamorous calves and a miserable fucking life.”

Billy just waved that off like it wasn’t important. Which was of course bullshit. No way Billy could survive the sort of work it took to maintain a runner’s body like Tommy’s. Granted he knew he didn’t have the background he needed for a dancer’s build like Billy. So they both had their own thing, and really it meant there was less confusion between them than there could have been given how similar they looked for fraternal twins. Granted a dye job and some colored contacts could definitely get some confusion going pretty hard with people that weren’t as aware of them. Which wasn’t here or there. 

“Be that as it may, I’m definitely not as confident so scantily clad as the guys playing the Angels, the chorus line that was with David. Or, hell, not even as much as David.”

If the Angels really were those guys on the stage when Tommy had come in, he supposed he understood that. One guy had booty-shorts so short that really it was a marvel he wasn’t flashing people, given he’d done a high kick the same time David had. Not as high of course. Damn, did David do yoga or something? Men weren’t supposed to bend like that, right? 

Wait…

“How scantily clad is David supposed to be in this?” Tommy asked, lowering his gaze from the ceiling so he could instead stare at his twin. 

“Why, not willing to wait the week and a half to see in person?” Billy returned with a touch of a chuckle in his voice, and maybe more of that suspicion from earlier. 

“Maybe a guy doesn’t necessarily want to see his best friend wearing nothing more than a grin.”

Which was a weird comparison to go to, but Tommy wasn’t backing down, not even when Billy’s smirk grew. Whatever Billy thought he knew, he clearly didn’t. 

“I mean, there is a scene where he’s in little more than lingerie. I mean, there is  _ some _ more than that, and the Angels were less, but yeah, pretty scantily clad. Looks pretty good on a guy as fit as he is, but that’s sort of the point. Lola is supposed to address that confusion between the elegance and softness of a woman, but the strength and in your face presence of a man. And David does it so well. Most of the time he’s in dresses, though. So it’s not so bad.”

Huh. With what he’d been wearing, Tommy could almost picture it, couldn’t he? That tank top could easily be the top part of a dress. Of course to get a kick like that he’d need either a big skirt, or something short, that let him stay mobile. And he’d probably look good in it too, if that confidence on the stage helped at all. Which is probably did. Even if he’d never seen David in anything other than his ‘I’m a future professor’ clothes or work-out stuff, he could see David being confident in just about anything he wanted to wear. It was that attitude that he had, that said he wasn’t beholden to anyone’s opinions of him. Probably came from dealing too much with expectations in the past. David didn’t talk much about his time before college, but what he did mention hinted at some issues back then, and that David had found himself strong enough to overcome it and his need for approval. Which was why Tommy liked his friend so much. David didn’t want or need to please anyone. Just wanted to achieve those things that were important to him. It’s why they worked so well as friends.

Yeah, he’d manage whatever costume he was put in up there if he was that strong in rehearsal alone. 

“You think he’d be worried about wearing that in front of people?” Tommy asked after a moment. “I mean, he mentioned that his parents are going to be in that weekend. Performing in front of your parents and little sister dressed up like that…?”

“He’ll be fine,” Billy promised, reaching out to pat Tommy on the shoulder. “Honestly, I think he’s more concerned about how you react to it all.”

What? No, that didn’t line up with David at all, did it? Why would he care too much about what Tommy thought about it? Had he been anything other than fucking supportive through this whole process? If not, why hadn’t David called him on it?

“Dude, there’s no way that David’s concerned about me. I’m the best friend there is, and I accept whatever he has to do to pursue his weird musical stuff.”

“I think it’s more your picking at me that has him worried about you,” Billy explained. 

It was something Tommy wanted to demand more information about, except the door to the theater was opening, and people were pouring out now. And at the front of the group was David, backpack over his shoulder and still dressed the same but in normal shoes now. There was a bit of chatter going on, but when David’s eyes fell on Tommy and Billy he smiled and waved to the other guys before peeling off to approach them. 

“Hey Billy. Teddy said that he’ll be a few more minutes. He’s still helping fix the cart that Dick accidentally broke. Hey Tommy.”

David’s smile, normally so confident and carefree, was just a bit nervous and for the life of him, Tommy couldn’t figure out why. Wait, he could, couldn’t he? Wasn’t it just what Billy had been saying. That David was concerned about getting Tommy teasing him over this. Well, better to get that fixed right now. 

“Only saw you for a moment in there, but damn, you’ve got moves, David. Gonna be a show.”

Just like that there was a bit more confidence in David’s smile. Which was definitely worth the brief comment and acknowledging he’d been in there. 

“Thanks,” David smiled, and he tilted his head toward the door. “Noodles?”

“Noodles,” Tommy agreed. He moved to turn to his brother, ready to say his goodbyes, but at some point Billy had slipped off like a wraith. Damn, he didn’t like Billy being able to sneak up on him so much. 

But even with his twin gone, the guy had given him a lot to think about, hadn’t he? Tommy definitely didn’t like that one bit. He was going to have to make sure there was no confusion, that David was certain that Tommy was supportive as hell. He’d thought he’d been doing a good job at that. Perhaps it was time to up his game. Of course what counted as more supportive than this he didn’t know. But he’d figure it out, if only because he didn’t want his best friend to be uncomfortable. Especially since Billy implied David was perfectly fine around anyone else, just not around him. Not like they shouldn’t just be comfortable, right, especially since they’d already slept together. Not  _ together _ together, of course. That would just not be a best friend thing to do, right? And Tommy wouldn’t hook up with a guy anyway. Though he supposed if he had to with a guy it would be David. Only because David wouldn’t give him any grief about it of course. Wouldn’t happen though, because David was just as straight as he was, so no problems. 

“Noodles,” Tommy repeated, because he needed noise to keep his mind from going stupid places like it already had. “And you’re paying. You owe me that, fancy boots.”

“That’s Mister Fancy Boots to you,” David laughed. 

Just like that they were good again. Tommy could already tell. See, he hadn’t fucked anything up at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *shakes Tommy*


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something happens after another rehearsal that leaves Tommy feeling weird. And maybe falling back on some old habits he had thought left behind. But in the end it's okay because there are always answers to the question of 'what the hell was that?'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What is this? A double post? Who in the world is this? Surely this is not THIS author, because that never happens!
> 
> Ha! I'm on a roll and you can't stop me.

Okay, maybe that whole ‘a straight as Tommy was’ thought from last week might have been a bit early. Because right now, waiting outside of the theater for his friends so they could go out for ‘something greasy and fattening just once before this show starts please’, Tommy wasn’t sure. With opening night just a few days away, Billy had about forbidden Tommy from the theater, because more and more of what they were doing was going to have to involve finishing up in costumes and doing full runs of the whole show. He didn’t want Tommy to, quote, ‘spoil the whole experience’. Of course it meant that Tommy barely got to see them at all. 

These brief moments definitely mattered a lot to Tommy, though. He hated being alone, not that he’d ever say it out loud. And lately, he was feeling alone. Didn’t matter that Kate spend more nights hanging with him. Didn’t matter that Noah sometimes paid him a bit on the side on show nights to help move gear for performances. Normally he had David there when Tommy was losing time with the people who mattered to him. Instead he was here, waiting for David as much as everyone else that mattered. Had bundled himself up warmly and sat down on a bench in sight of the theater with a whole tray of coffees and waited. 

What he wasn’t expecting was to watch people coming out of the building, and David pausing while Billy and Teddy were heading across to meet with him. Other members of the cast were splitting up to go their various ways, but David was held back by one of the guys that Tommy had seen dancing with David when he had popped his head in to that rehearsal that one time. What had Billy called the chorus line? The Angels? One of them was standing there, his hand on David’s arm. As Tommy looked on the other man leaned in, and Tommy knew that sort of lean in. Did that sort of lean in with plenty of other people. Knew how it felt, to have them looking at you, happy the way it looked like their heart was about to beat out of their chest. 

In fact, he could see it on David, if he really thought about it. The way his eyes would widen a bit, his lips slightly parted. How David would reach out, a hand moving to settle on the person’s hip, leaning in, anticipation in every line of his body. Tommy could almost see it. Perhaps because in a way he was watching it happen, right over there, David pulled in to kiss another man. David didn’t push him away either. His best friend was standing there, leaning into the other, and Tommy… Well, he was reevaluating his estimation of David’s heterosexuality.

Of course that was as much as Tommy could see before Teddy and Billy were there, completely in his face. There wasn’t really a chance to react to what he’d seen at that point. So he focused instead on the whole need to caffeinate these people. So he passed over the appropriate cups and pushed to his feet. 

“Come on, let’s get going, okay?” Tommy said, taking his own cup and moving away from the theater. 

“Wait, David’s…” Billy protested for half a moment before moving away. Because right now? Right now Tommy couldn’t be here. 

“Clearly he’s a bit busy right now,” Tommy grumbled as he carries his and what was supposed to be David’s coffee away with him. 

“Busy?” Teddy’s voice asked, and well, Tommy didn’t know what to say about that except for he needed to walk away. “What do you mean? We’re all supposed to…”

“Brandon.”

Was that his name? Frankly, Tommy found himself not wanted to know. When he got back to the dorm he would care. When he talked to David again he would care. He would be a good supportive friend, because that was what he was. Not like he was weirded out by David not being straight. Clearly, because you know, Billy and Teddy. But right now, he didn’t know what to do with it. With this. 

“Wow, really? I swear, I told him to lay off it,” Teddy groaned at Billy’s statement, and that at least turned Tommy on his heel to look at the couple. 

“Why would you ever do that?” he demanded, glaring up at Teddy. The action got a brief look of confusion from Teddy, and it’s not like Tommy was just going to accept it. “Seriously, from the look of it, David wasn’t exactly flinching away from the whole kissed by a guy thing. Which means you actively chose to get between him and finally getting a date. Which is totally fucked up, okay? Who the hell are you to do that?”

Teddy flinched back at that, and Billy stepped between them, clearly intending to keep them apart. Which was stupid, what was Tommy going to do? Didn’t make sense in the slightest, right? Tommy always kept a level head, or he had since before the end of high school. The Kaplans had helped him deal with some of that stuff. 

“Teddy was just doing it because…” 

“You guys almost forgot me,” David said as he came up behind Teddy, and that stopped whatever Billy was going to say in its tracks. Of course since he was behind Teddy and Billy, he didn’t get to catch sight of the pained look on Billy’s face for just the briefest second. 

Tommy, though? Tommy saw it. And he didn’t know what to do with that any more than he knew what to do with David being there now. Or the strange tightness in his chest. The fire in his gut that made him want to move, want to… He didn’t even know what he wanted to do. Just wanted to keep moving. 

“Brandon,” Billy explained. “We figured maybe you guys would want some space.”

“Privacy,” Tommy suggested with a sigh, frowning as he looked anywhere but at David. The best place, he determined, was down at the extra coffee in his hand. Which was for David. Dammit, that didn’t make him not think about this, right? With a sigh he offered the coffee out, not even looking up at David. For some reason, he didn’t think he could meet those eyes and keep a straight face. What expression he would wear if he met them, though, he didn’t know. 

All he knew was that it wouldn’t be good. 

“So are you two going to be dating?” Teddy asked, because of course the asshole was going to ask. Like it was any of their business who David was and wasn’t dating or doing or whatever it was that David would be getting up to in whatever free time he would have after the musical came to a close. Of course Tommy intended to make sure he had some serious dibs on David’s time, but that could absolutely be ceded to a new boyfriend if one came into the picture. 

“You could bring him to gaming Tuesdays. I mean, not tomorrow obviously because you guys are going to be busy rehearsing,” Tommy added as he continued to not look at David by fiddling with the little plastic tab that to go cups had to close the sip spout. They probably had a name for that, right, for that little bit of plastic. Chances were he’d learned it once before. Or if he didn’t the internet would know what it was. So would David of course, but really, asking him about that when he clearly would want to bask in his new boyfriend wouldn’t be right. 

“Tom? Are your hands cold?” Billy’s voice cut through Tommy’s thoughts. 

His eyes snapped up to Billy’s, meeting a strange concern in his twin’s amber gaze, but the words definitely had the intended effect. He wasn’t looking intently at the cup anymore, and he shoved his other hand, the fingers of which had started picking at the plastic lid, ended up shoved in his pocket. When his gaze moved past Billy to Teddy he found the same worried look there, which he guessed made sense, because Teddy had learned that particular line a lot over the years, hadn’t he? 

“Everything okay?” 

Right. David. Tommy sighed and looked to his best friend and opened his mouth to speak, only to have Billy cut in. Again. Seriously, what was it with his twin today? It was like he thought Tommy couldn’t talk for himself. Or that anyone could talk for themselves actually. What even was up with that? Just because he had a moment of behavioral relapse for the first time in a few years didn’t mean he needed help. 

“Yeah, fine,” Billy offered with a warm smile. Somehow it didn’t help with the cold in Tommy’s chest or the fire in his gut. Shouldn’t be able to feel both of those at the same time, right? Whatever. “Just a Tommy thing.”

“It’s just, I’ve never heard anyone call him Tom before. Did I miss something?” David asked, moving past Billy and Teddy and straight toward Tommy. “You said it annoys you.”

“It does. Not as bad as Thomas does,” Tommy confirmed. “It’s just… I used to have some behavioral issues. Would get twitchy and things. Medication did most of it, but when it was mostly for the attention thing. Sometimes I had this other stuff, and the Kaplans found that was a better way to call my attention to it, without making a scene or anything. I’m so used to it now that I just put my hands in my pockets instead of driving anyone mad.”

“Other stuff?”

Geez why did everyone have to keep asking questions? Tommy really wasn’t in a mood for answering questions right now. What was this, quiz day? He got enough of that in class, right? Shouldn’t be a test to be with his friends. 

“Anxiety issues,” Billy put out there, and this time Tommy  _ glared _ at his brother.

“That isn’t yours to talk about,” he growled out. But even that didn’t last long, because David’s free hand reached out and came to rest on his arm, just under his elbow. It was as comforting a gesture as it always was, and for half a moment Tommy pressed into it. 

_ Brandon. _

And then he was pulling away from it. But slowly, so to not make a scene. Or jostle his own coffee. 

“You never told me. Is there something I can do to help? I hate to think I’m not watching out for something that I could help with. Is there somewhere we can take you? What’s the source of the anxiety?” David continued, still so close, still so understanding. Fuck, he really would make a good boyfriend for someone someday. 

_ For Brandon. Today _ . 

His fingers found a string loose in his pocket and immediately started to tug at it. What Billy couldn’t see, he couldn’t chide Tommy for doing. 

“Nah man, we’re cool. Guess I’m just getting nervous about your big day. Anyway, what was up with you and Brandon? I mean, Teddy and Billy are clearly eager to do their nosy routine, and I feel that as your best friend I’m obligated to step in and give a shovel speech, you know? I’m pretty good at it too. Ask Teddy,” Tommy said, the words tumbling fast and free from his lips. If he just spoke, if he just kept talking, then no one could ask him questions, right? He wouldn’t have to answer anything if he got the rest of them answering his. 

Best avoidance strategy or best avoidance strategy? Answer was totally obvious.

Two pairs of eyes moved to Teddy then, both David’s  _ and _ Billy’s. Frankly Tommy was shocked by that. Would have thought that Teddy told his boyfriend about Tommy’s threats by now. 

“I don’t even want to get into it,” Teddy said, hands going up in a defensive gesture. “Tommy’s scary when he really wants to be. In fact, David, you might want to forbid him from talking to Brandon right now. Though I guess the invitation to Tuesday nights might not be a bad idea. I mean, if you want him to join us?”

“What are you all even on about? Brandon and I aren’t a thing.”

The cold in his chest gripped hard for just one last second before letting go completely and then Tommy felt like he could breathe again. Couldn’t even help the little smirk that curled his lips after a second. 

“Sooooo, that kiss was nothing? Or do you need me to take him for a long walk down a dark alley?” Tommy offered, unable to keep the eagerness from his voice. 

“Don’t even,” Billy snapped quickly, whirling on him. “We need him for the show.”

“I can wait until after.”

“Is that… is that what you all thought? Yeah, Brandon kissed me. But that doesn’t mean we’re together. Frankly, he’s not my type,” David sighed, and his fingers came up to pinch at the bridge of his nose. 

Was it weird that the news made Tommy want to move in and hug David? No. No, it definitely was not weird, because he was just a greedy friend who didn’t like sharing his time with other people. That’s all. Billy and Teddy it was different with, because they’d pretty much been dating forever, and Teddy was practically a brother and he was used to spending way too much of his time with them. So it was totally different there. Everyone else important he was greedy with. Like Kate. Totally spent a lot of time with Kate and got territorial when some other guy came sniffing around to try and walk her to classes. Which was just because that time walking her to classes was the easiest time to catch up with her on what was going on. Not that he just didn’t want someone dating her. 

Just like he wouldn’t mind David finally opening up and meeting someone. Some nice girl or something.

“Not your type being…?” Teddy prompted, and with a sigh David shook his head. 

“I’m not getting out of this without more information, am I?” David asked. 

“Nope.” 

There must have been too much cheer in that single word, because David looked up at Tommy with a single raised eyebrow. Like he couldn’t believe  _ Tommy  _ of all people was so interested. 

“He’s a little too full of himself,” David offered after a moment. “Which isn’t to say that’s a deal breaker. I just mean… I just know the type. He reminds me of my ex-girlfriend. You think you know where you stand with them and then when it comes down to it, you find out that they aren’t really willing to take the sorts of risks that a relationship needs to survive.”

“Risks?” Teddy prompted.

For some reason, David’s eyes found and held Tommy’s before he spoke next. It was like being pinned down in a way that Tommy didn’t know that he ever had been before. But he wasn’t one to back down from a challenge, and so with David looking at him so intensely he couldn’t do anything but meet that gaze. 

“The chance that you might fall in love. The chance that the other person might not feel as intensely as you do. The very real risk that whatever you have with them won’t be a forever thing because feelings change or because they get taken away from you. Real love needs that sort of commitment in the face of the possible risks. Brandon couldn’t give me that.”

Okay, maybe that held gaze now felt more like eyes boring through him but Tommy still held it until the point where David finally looked away, back toward Teddy. 

“A bit like what you two have.”

“Going to be a tall order to fill,” Tommy shrugged off before he turned away from the group. “Come on, I promised a greasy meal for our stars.”

And as he started walking, he almost,  _ almost _ , thought he heard a huff of laughter from David. Not just that either. Words too, on the edge of audible. 

_ I’m patient _ . 

What was that supposed to mean?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone else about ready to just throw Tommy through the nearest window? Because this guy could clearly use a good defenestration.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Tommy makes the choice to go to opening night, and sees a lot more than he was expecting. The question is just what he's supposed to do now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen I'm in Tommy's head right now so there you go. Ten will probably be around soon. Don't know about the rest.

Opening night was about waiting, Tommy found. Half an hour spent waiting outside of the theater, not sure if he was even going to go in, even though he had a ticket already twisting between his hands. What had driven him to go and buy his own ticket for opening night he didn’t know, especially since he was going to the evening show with the Kaplans tomorrow, but he’d bought it and spent more time than he really wanted to think about making up his mind as to whether or not he was going to go in for the opening performance. 

Eventually he decided that he’d already put the money in and he should make use of it, if only because his adoptive brothers would distract him tomorrow. It was just so that when David asked him tomorrow what he thought of the performance, he could really discuss how his best friend had done. No other reason. Of course even once he got inside there was more waiting to be had, almost another twenty minutes in his seat near the back, listening to far too many people chattering as they tried to fill the time before the show started. Worse, he’d even left his phone back in his room to make sure that he didn’t get distracted by it during the show. He was content to be bored during Billy’s shows because there were so many, but the first time your best friend starred? Well, that meant a bit more, right? 

Waiting kept happening even after the show started. Almost immediately he realized that he’d definitely not been giving Billy enough credit about this, which he felt a bit guilty about. The first number was entirely centered around this ‘Charlie’ that his twin was playing, and wow, he’d definitely have to tell Billy he had done well because he almost believed it when Billy was making out with a girl on stage without getting sick. Yet even that didn’t hold Tommy’s attention as much as it should have, and David wasn’t anywhere in sight. It might have been an hour, or really more like fifteen minutes maybe, before it happened. 

And when it happened…

Sure, he recognized David when he first came on stage. No, actually that wasn’t true, because he was in shadows, but he’d heard a bit of David’s practice on a British accent. No, what happened was the lights coming up. 

“He’s not the first man to fall for me,” David’s voice came out over the speakers as the lights came up on him, center stage. Already the beat of a song was coming up, the same that Tommy had heard in that rehearsal he probably shouldn’t have snuck into. But that hadn’t prepared him for this. Not at all. “And I promise, he won’t be the last.”

When the lights came up they were red, which made sense, because it made the scarlet of the form fitting, sequined dress that left his arms bare, not to mention everything further down than his mid-thigh. The lack of glasses definitely threw Tommy off for half a second, as did the curls that fell around David’s face from his wig. The make-up definitely added a bit of unexpected softness to his face too. Yet that didn’t take away from the fact that the ‘woman’ up there, tall and strong, utterly captivating and leaving Tommy’s eyes gliding more than once over an impossibly perfect stretch of legs that might even put Tommy’s to shame… That was  _ David _ . 

There wasn’t anyone else on the stage, not a single one of the ‘Angels’ on the stage that could tear Tommy’s attention away from his best friend. Didn’t matter that there were guys on stage in in less than David was, all Tommy could do was watch. The confidence in the rehearsal didn’t match the intensity of David now, the way he would swing his hips to accentuate a word, the way his dominated the song, his presence demanding the stage, the other dancers more active in moving but unable to take even a bit of attention from David. He’d… he’d  _ never _ seen David like this. 

At least he understood the whole thing with the drag queens now. Whatever they’d taught David was definitely worth it, because if Tommy hadn’t known better, he might have for a moment not seen his best friend. Just Lola, commanding and in charge and beautiful in a way that Tommy had never considered before. 

The song came to an end with David talking with Billy, ducked behind a changing screen. Tommy gave himself a moment to lean back in his chair and catch his breath. How had he even lost it? Tommy licked his lips and closed his eyes to stare up at the ceiling, dark and distant, so he could figure out just what was going on. Why did the room look feel so hot? 

A light ripple of laughter filtered through the theater and when Tommy looked back at the stage his mouth went dry. 

_ ‘I mean, there is a scene where he’s in little more than lingerie. I mean, there is some more than that, and the Angels were less, but yeah, pretty scantily clad,’  _ Billy had said that day. And yet somehow Tommy hadn’t pictured  _ this _ . There was so little covered, all by what seemed like lace and leather from here, black and dark enough to stand out against David’s skin. For half a moment Tommy’s fingers itched and flexed, gripping at his pant leg. It only got worse as David produced a pair of knee high black boots with heels that he was pretty sure could put an eye out. The sort of boots that people probably meant when they made comments like ‘I want her to walk all over me.’ 

Tommy… he sorta  _ got  _ that sentiment right now. Which was definitely a bit disturbing. That definitely wasn’t something that he was supposed to feel about his friend, especially not his best friend. 

There was something going on, there was talking, there was the build up to music, but Tommy for the life of him wasn’t catching the words. Not even when the spotlight was cutting over to Billy doing  _ something  _ related to whatever plot was going on there. There hadn’t been a moment in his life where Tommy was more pissed off to have to sit through Billy and his acting as he was now. Less because he was bound to be here, but because when the light was on Billy, David was in the shadows. 

“Fuck,” he whispered under his breath. All he wanted to do was see David was going to do next, watch him move, look at the way those boots clung to his legs, and the grace he moved with, and the way his costume fit the curve of his hips. 

The worst part, he realized, was that familiar flash of cold in his chest when, as the number came to a close, David about pranced over to Billy, Charlie returning to this Lola’s show or whatever. It was watching David’s hands close around Billy’s face and pull it down to rest full against the strength of that chest. It was strong, Tommy knew that from experience how strong, right? There had been a morning when he’d awoken held against that body, right? When he had felt the warmth of David behind him, the thud of David’s heartbeat against his back. 

As everyone else laughed over the banter between Billy and David, a quick volley of jokes, delivered with energy and wit that Tommy was used to feeling with David. That sort of play that they had naturally, brought into the role and Tommy… Tommy could almost see himself up there with David instead, and wished he was, so he could put a hand on the bare stretch of David’s leg. 

“No,” he muttered under his breath. “No, it’s not…”   
  
The harsh cough from his side told Tommy he really was talking aloud, and the person in the next seat definitely didn’t appreciate it. Fuck. Just… what was he supposed to do with this? What was it that had happened outside of the theater the other day anyway, when David had been kissed by Brandon? That chill in his chest, he’d experienced it before, hadn’t he? Why was it familiar?

The Kaplans. The first time he’d met them, the first time he met them with Billy there and he saw them. They were a  _ family _ , in the way that he’d never managed to have, in a way the Shepherds never had been. The way they smiled at each other, the way Rebecca had chided one of Billy’s brothers when he almost got himself hurt, it was everything that Tommy had never had with his supposed family. And there had been that chill, cold and hard in his chest, making him feel like he couldn’t breathe. That was what he’d felt when Brandon had kissed David.  _ Jealousy _ . But why? 

The question was torn away when David’s voice once more cut across the stage. 

“What is this?” David asked, his voice breaking a little in distress as he inspected a boot Billy had been holding up. 

_ I don’t even fucking know _ , Tommy wanted to shout across the room.  _ You tell me! _

And then there was David again, storming down a staircase in blue heels and a hat that suited his face, and a shirt so short that it only just came down past the curve of his ass.

“Red,” David was saying on stage, following up a tirade of what different colors symbolized, still going on about how the boot Billy’s character had made was the wrong color, “is. For. Sex!”

The last word drawn out as David bent over just enough to roll his rear just a little against another man on stage who was in the same sort of sweater and slacks that was more David’s normal fare. Again the ache returned to Tommy’s chest, tight and intense. He wanted to be there, in that position, watching David’s body so close that he could put his hands on his best friend’s hips as he taunted and teased. And again, when David was across the stage, sitting boldly in a large, gruff man’s lap with his legs crossed in a way that was clearly meant to draw the eye up them, sliding over silky smooth legs that had once been almost tangled with Tommy’s. 

How good it would be to have them twisted together again… 

No, this wasn’t… this couldn’t be happening. He couldn’t be this far gone for his best friend, right? He was straight. Beyond straight. It was just the character, right? Because David looked like a pretty passable woman, and everyone knew how much Tommy loved the attention of the ladies. Short skirts and curving bodies, soft faces and soft skin, legs that were long and strong, wrapped around his waist as a breathy avoid asked for his attention. Yeah. That… That was it. David just really made a beautiful woman. Nothing more complicated than that. And Tommy hadn’t exactly gotten any lately, so there was that in the mix too. He was fine. It was fine. This was fine. 

Music started again, thrumming in the theater and… 

“ _ The sex is in the heel, even if you break it _ ,” David’s voice sang out as he strutted around the stage, commanding all the attention from the shoe factory workers. 

Was it wrong, he wondered, that he  _ really _ , liked the sound of that word on David’s lips? It sounded like a promise, and Tommy couldn’t help but wonder what it would sound like without that fake British accent, whispered in his ear, David’s body pressed into his bed below Tommy, their eyes meeting and… 

_ Fuck _ . David was right. Or Lola, or whoever the character was. There were men bound to fall for him. And it Brandon wasn’t anything more than the most recent. At least until now. 

The strange thing, Tommy realized as the Angels took the stage again, was that he wasn’t interested in them at all. All six of them in different variations on a raincoat or something, in vividly colored heels with coats cut so that if they moved with any speed the slits would spread and show off serious amounts of skin. Sharp spins or even flips that took place soon would show off even more, right down to what was likely little more than a leotard. 

_ And none of them held his gaze like David _ . 

It was official. Tommy was in so much trouble. Because all he could think to want right now was his best friend. 

How was he ever supposed to face David again after this? 

As soon as intermission hit and the lights were going up again, Tommy was out of his seat and up the aisle so he could get back into the foyer. It almost felt, for a long moment, like if he could just maybe put a little bit more distance between him and the stage, just a bit more distance between him and where David must be now, he might be able to catch his breath. He might be able to make this all make sense. He might be able to forget…

“He looks good up there, doesn’t he?”

“Kate,” Tommy groaned as he turned and sure enough, there she was, grinning like she knew exactly what was going on in his head. 

Perhaps she did.

“I thought you were coming to the show tomorrow with your folks,” she said, moving forward to loop her arm through one of Tommy’s.

Thing was, Tommy didn’t think he wanted that closeness right now. Maybe if she was that close she would feel how hot he was, because Tommy felt like the furnace was on or something. She might be able to hear his heartbeat, because it was sure pounding in his ears. If he let Kate close, she would know, and frankly,  _ he  _ wasn’t even ready to know. 

“It’s David’s first time on stage, right? He worked hard. Figured I should give him a chance on a show where my brothers won’t be distracting me.”

He barely even got the words out before he winced. Brothers. He tended to refer to the younger Kaplan boys as ‘the brats’ when he was around Kate. That… that was a slip that someone as sharp as her would notice. In fact, there she was, offering him a soft little smile. It was part pity, part amusement, and with just a dash of exasperation. 

“Finally hit you then, did it?”

“Did what finally hit me?” Tommy demanded. 

“How you feel about David,” Kate answered, her voice as gentle as the hand that came out to rest on Tommy’s arm. “How you’ve always felt about him.”

Fuck. Tommy jerked away from her hand as if it was a brand, burning him through his shirt with the accusation he’d leveled on himself not too long ago. 

“I’m not… It’s not… I don’t… Always?”

“Always,” she agreed. “You’re just a bit of an idiot, Tommy. Frankly, you’ve been driving Billy, Teddy, and me up the wall for years now. Even Noh-Varr’s picked up on it and he’s not around as much. Cassie’s bet that you’re not going to realize it until graduation day, so she does owe me some money. Nate recently lost out some of course, he thought you would have managed something before this, realizing it because of how little time David had lately.”

“You’ve all been  _ betting _ on me being gay for David?”

That was just wrong. Kate, however, didn’t seem to have a shred of shame for it. Instead she rolled a shoulder in a dismissive shrug. “Like you and I didn’t do the same thing over other people before. Don’t complain about your own medicine, Tommy. No, what’s important right now, is what you’re going to do about it now that you’ve realized your desires.”

_ Do  _ about it? What was he going to  _ do about it _ ? There was a flash of panic and then Tommy was wincing, jerking his hands away from the program he’d apparently been twisting in his hands. When he looked down he found a papercut cutting across the the pad of his pinkie, and he sighed. 

Really, the resurgence of his anxiety was really not amusing right now. 

“I don’t… Kate, there is literally no way that he would ever look at me like that. I don’t… I don’t even know what to do.”

“I do.”

Relief washed over him quickly. Yeah, Kate was always there for him, always in his corner. If she had an answer, it would have to be a good one. She could solve the problem. She had to. There was no one else to turn to, because the only other person he went to with these things was, well,  _ David _ . 

“What is it, Kate? Please, I just… I just need to get this out of my head. I don’t wanna fuck up my friendship. David’s too important.”

“Don’t worry, Tommy. I’m going to help you deal with this. But you have to promise to do exactly what I say, okay?”

“Anything, Kate. Anything you say. Promise.”

Something told him, as a smirk curled over Kate’s lips, that he just said exactly the wrong thing. Somehow she was going to make this far worse before it got better.

“Go back in and watch the rest of the show, Tommy. Afterward, I’m going to take you out and you’re going to have fun and you’ll forget all about your panic by morning. I give you my word that it’s going to be okay.”

A party? Yeah, that was the ticket. Kate always went to the best parties. He’d go, find a cute girl to distract him, and maybe beg off sick tomorrow. And it would all work out. Somehow it would all work out. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't have to throw him through a window when he stumbles through it. I hope.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Perhaps Tommy should have suspected that Kate had an ulterior motive. Of course he'll probably forgive her if he can just figure out the right things to say.

“Kate… When you said you were going to take me to a party, you didn’t say it was going to be the  _ cast party _ !”

“Did I not? Wow, I guess that slipped my mind completely. Oops,” Kate said at his side, her hand around his wrist as strong as a vice to keep Tommy rooted in place. Damn her, she wasn’t even trying to sound like she was innocent in this matter. After everything he’d told her on the walk here, about how he’d come to realize it, about the jealousy when Brandon had kissed David, about how he’d been hurting to not have David around him since the play started, even the waking up in his arms after the bash they threw to celebrate David getting cast, after all that she’d done this to him. Betrayal never cut so deep. 

There was still a chance, of course. It wasn’t like anyone had noticed he was here yet, right? All he had to do was find a way to get away from that grip on his wrist and slip out before anyone…

“Tommy!” 

Nevermind. Tommy sighed and stood up a bit straighter, forcing a smile on his face as Billy raced to his side, dragging Teddy with him. His brother was grinning, looking almost stupidly happy, and Tommy could respect that. He had, sometimes, been able to focus enough to tell that Billy had been doing a great job, though he was still less than okay with the vision his brother had presented at the end. The only solace he had at the time had been the beauty of David in his final dress of the night, and Tommy’s hands had itched to run over the fabric, sliding down until… 

Dammit he couldn’t even avoid thinking about David even when he wasn’t faced with the guy. This wasn’t good. How was he supposed to deal with all of this? Was there even a way?

“Look who I found at opening night,” Kate cooed at Billy, finally letting Tommy go. Of course she could now, because now that Billy had seen him, now that Teddy had seen him, it would be known he was here. There was no longer an escape, not without spending some time here. And no one would believe him being here while avoiding David. “Someone came without telling anyone. But you enjoyed the show, right Tommy?”

Billy’s eyes were so bright, so excited, so ready for praise. Like Tommy could deny it, even if he hadn’t paid nearly enough attention during the show itself. So Tommy offered his brother a warm smile, or as warm of one as he was capable of right now. Even moved forward to give Billy a hug. Most people he would have offered a high five, or maybe a fist bump. But Billy required something more. Kaplans made him expect that, and since they wouldn’t see the show until tomorrow, it was up to him. 

“You did good, bro. Real good. Almost thought you were really invested in shoes,” he teased.

“Almost?” Teddy cut in, a playful smile on his lips. “I don’t know, Billy has been buying quite a few pairs of shoes lately.”

“What!? Teddy, my running shoes wore out and I needed new dress shoes because the old ones got cut up,” Billy protested. Talk about acting skills, because the pout he wore definitely was exaggerated in ways that Tommy didn’t even have words for. Clearly someone needed to call bullshit.

“You look like a duck,” David’s voice cut in, amusement in his voice. And Tommy went stiff. Because the voice was coming from behind him. If he turned around, he would be forced to look at David, which he definitely wasn’t ready for. Even if he probably wasn’t in his costume anymore, the fact was that Tommy was a bit afraid of what he’d find there. 

Worse, he could see the sudden interest in Billy and Teddy’s eyes as he froze for that brief moment. Fuck. With what Kate said, they might be able to figure it out too. Wait, was that Teddy had given Brandon a talking to? Shit! Had Teddy been trying to make sure that David would be available for when Tommy finally figured it out? Okay, now he just wanted to punch Teddy, which of course would probably result in his fist hurting, but damn if he didn’t want it anyway. He didn’t need someone else making those decisions for him. 

Damn, he needed to take a moment.

“I need a drink,” he informed the group quickly, and without even turn to consider David, just strode off past them. Hopefully the shock of his abrupt departure would buy him some time to get away from them. All he needed was some space, some time. He could figure this out if they all just gave him some time. 

Drinks were across the room, a variety of alcohols that probably shouldn’t be just sitting out given the number of underaged people at the party, cans of soda, bottles of water, and the occasional energy drink because apparently some people thought that was an appropriate mixer for something. What for, Tommy didn’t know, the stuff hardly tasted good as it was. Of course he downed more of them than he cared to admit, mostly because the rush of energy was always nice. Even now he grabbed for one without thinking, glad to have the cold of the can in his hand was grounding. 

Like that hand on his shoulder. 

“Shit,” he cursed under his breath, because he knew. There really was only one person it could be. 

“Can we talk?” 

“Yeah, David. We can. Can we just… maybe do it somewhere else? I’ve got a reputation to uphold, and if people see me here, gushing about your performance, they’re going to get the mistaken impression that I’m not cool or something,” Tommy said as he cracked the can open and then took a big swig. Anything at all to fortify him for the next part. 

“And god forbid you ever be mistaken as anything other than cool,” David chuckled, and that more than anything got Tommy to turn around. To really look at his best friend.

What a sight he was. There wasn’t the dress or the heels or the wig. There wasn’t a spot of makeup left on his face. There was only David, in his silly yellow lenses and a damn button-up shirt with his sleeves rolled up, looking as crisp and controlled as he always was. Before he might have laughed at how quickly the real David came back out. Now? 

Now he wanted to reach out and touch David. Run his fingers along the curve of his jaw, get his hands on that shirt to tug at it, leave him looking rumpled and off balance, out of sorts, to steal his breath and see David panting and wide-eyed. Ruin that composure in every way he could imagine, and to hell with the people around them. 

So… yeah, it was definitely more than just what David had been like on stage. 

“You know me, David. Cool is all I have going for me. You know, other than devilishly handsome, talented in all things video game related, faster than you could ever believe, and…”

“Humble,” David cut in with a shake of his head. Amusement curled his lips into what could only be called a relieved smile. “Come on. I know just the place.”

A hand closed around Tommy’s wrist to pull him through the crowd. A corner of his brain catalogued the sensations that came with it, the warmth of the hand, the softness of skin, the gentle grip so at odds with what he’d had from Kate earlier. There was a gentle strength to it, an assurance that he wouldn’t losing David in the crowd that he moved them through, parting bodies around them, sparing brief smiles and thank yous when people congratulated him on his performance. They were beautiful smiles too, the sort that left Tommy’s chest tight like earlier, but tight and  _ warm _ , and made his stomach jump with energy. Which wasn’t different, he realized, from how he reacted to David a lot of the time. Used to be he assumed it was just energy, because he always felt more energetic around David. 

Was this why?

Really, he hated thinking about things like this, they never got easier, no matter how much you stewed over them. And he could stew with the best of them. Just didn’t feel like it was something he should be as obvious about like all those dramatic people like Billy. 

Soon the crowds were left behind and Tommy pulled around a corner and thus into a quiet hallway. Amazing how much just being out of sight of a party could make a moment more intimate. Fuck, probably not the right word to use right now, given everything going on in his head. Given the fact that David was grinning like a fool, happy and excited about what all had just happened. Which was fair, because David had been like a dream up there on the stage, and Tommy figured if he hadn’t realized what he had, he might have been hanging on David’s every word. Which wasn’t very different from how he always was. Instead he’d spent so much time just watching the way David moved, listening to the voice that was both his and not, and watching the smiles he offered.

Of course, that whole bit with David shirtless in boxing gear had been great too. Even now he could see the lines of David’s muscles under his shirt, so close that he could reach out and touch if he wanted to. Could move forward and pin David against the wall, easy as breathing, push him up against the wall he almost already stood against and press their lips together. So what if Tommy would have to go up onto the tips of his toes to manage it? Maybe for once he wanted to be the one reaching for a taller partner. Maybe for once…

“My eyes are up here, Tommy,” David’s voice cut into his speeding train of thought, and  _ fuck _ , he’d been staring at David’s pecks. 

Maybe if he was lucky, David would assume that he was just thinking about what he wanted to say about the play. There was no reason David should assume Tommy was checking him out, caught up in how badly he wanted to act. Right? 

No. David was smarter than just about anyone that Tommy knew. The chances that other people had figured it out before Tommy but David hadn’t were slim to none. David had probably figured it out before even Kate. But he’d never said anything. Why wouldn’t he have said anything. 

“Hey,” David spoke again, reaching out and his hand settled onto Tommy’s shoulder. “You seem out of it. The show, right? It’s not really to everyone’s taste. I expect there will be at least one scandalized letter to the editor of the school paper, complaining about my legs.”

“Your legs are amazing.”

The words were out before Tommy could stop them, and he could feel the heat immediately rise into his face. Dammit, his brain had clearly betrayed him in the worst way. Yet when he finally lifted his eyes to meet David’s, ready to apologize, he was met with something he wasn’t expecting. David wasn’t looking at him, but looking aside, his face a touch flushed, and his eyes anywhere but on Tommy. Was… was he embarrassed too? Maybe flustered to hear Tommy say that? Oh. Oh wow. 

“I… thanks. I mean, coming from a track guy like you, that’s a great compliment. Especially since I seem to remember you mentioning something about you having glamorous calves. If a guy like you finds mine good…” David’s smile was almost shy. 

Had he ever seen David so unsure before? Strange how much that made Tommy smile. Confident, strong, amazing David Alleyne, nervous because Tommy had complimented his legs? Maybe he wasn’t out of his element here. Because he’d done this before, found quiet places to talk up girls he was interested in. This wasn’t very different, so maybe he could do this. Maybe he could find the confidence to face this. 

“Of course,” Tommy continued, shifting his weight to one side and tilting his head so his hair would flop in that way he knew was attractive. In fact, he’d been specifically told so before, by more than a few women. “But really, the best part was the shoes.”

“Now you’re just trying to make me laugh. The only shoes you care about, Tommy, are the ones you buy for track,” David laughed, shaking his head as his eyes returned at last to Tommy’s. 

How easily the tension that had been in the air between them had faded away, with no more needed than Tommy resolving to win and hold David’s attention. But maybe that’s because that was always what he’d been doing when David was around, from their first meeting as freshmen, when he had walked into Billy’s room and seen David there. Tommy couldn’t remember the joke he’d told at the time, but he could remember that smile David had given him, wide and warm. It had been the start of something that day, something that had led to here and now. 

“Maybe, what was you called yourself in that song? A… Cocoa butter bitch?”

That actually got a groan out of David. “Was that really the line you wanted to quote at me? Well, if nothing else, I can be certain that you were paying attention during the show, rather than sitting around horrified by what I had to wear.”

“The heels? I hear those are supposed to tense the leg and make the ass look pert. I mean, not that you’ve ever needed help,” Tommy grinned, and yeah, watching closely, he could see David’s eyes widen just the littlest bit. As if David couldn’t believe Tommy had said that. Was he wrong? Had David not seen this coming like apparently everyone else in the world? 

“Tommy, did you just…?”

“Did I just what, David? Say it out loud?”

“Were you just hitting on me?”

Was it just Tommy, or was there just a hint of hope in David’s voice? No, not hope. He’d heard hope from David before, the way he would just barely hold his breath behind the words while he mentioned something about doing well on a test. This was something else. This was… this was David when they got to the cafeteria in the mornings, as he caught the scent of coffee in the air. This was David when Tuesday night games went too long and he was telling the others he should really be going to bed instead of taking another round. That was David longing for something. This was David  _ wanting _ to be hit on. 

Wanting to be hit on by  _ him _ . 

Well, if he wanted it, then Tommy could definitely oblige. He took half a step forward, and immediately David took half a step back, which of course meant David backed up right against the wall. Which was amazing, because his eyes widened just a bit more, and if he wasn’t mistaken, David’s fingers curling at his side. A gesture that Tommy was familiar with, given he’d spent so much of the show doing the same thing, trying to keep his hands from reaching out for something he couldn’t touch, no matter how much he wanted to. That was a good sign, right? 

Tommy took another step forward, his fingers coming up to tease as the edge of David’s shirt. Were his ears deceiving him, or had David just gasped? Gasping was absolutely a good sign, because that one he actually was used to from the girls he’d been with before. He moved closer still, their bodies just short of touching, and he smiled as David’s eyes flicked briefly to his lips and back up. That he definitely knew the meaning of, and Tommy couldn’t help but look to David’s lips in turn. They were fuller than he was used to, beautiful and slightly red. Maybe he had been wrong earlier, to think that David had gotten all of the makeup off. There was still a hint of it there, and they made David’s lips look even better. 

“You’re smart, David. You tell me if I was.flirting, right? I mean, as my best friend, you’re also supposed to be my wingman, right? That means helping a guy get in with people, right?” Tommy asked, pitching his voice low. Sure enough, David leaned forward just a bit to hear him better. They were closer now, almost close enough for him to kiss David, if he just was a little taller.

“It memory serves, you’ve told me I’m not allowed to be your wingman, because I have no game with the ladies,” David commented. Which yeah, Tommy did remember saying once, now that David mentioned it. Dammit, why did he have to be an idiot all the time?

Think, Tommy. Think fast, because clearly he was losing David.

“Maybe I did, but right now I need a bit of advice on how to get the attention of this one  _ guy _ . Something tells me you’d probably be able to help me there. I mean, you’ve got game enough that Brandon seemed to want a piece of you. And after everything you said about taking chances, how things might be worth a risk, I figure you might know more about working outside of your comfort zone,” Tommy said after a moment, even as he let his hand settle on David’s hip. “Come on, David. Help a guy out.”

“Well, first thing is that you probably shouldn’t assume a guy leans that way, Tommy. In fact, it might not be a good idea for you to look to me for advice. Who says I know anything about picking up guys? Just because Brandon kissed me doesn’t mean I instantly know everything about how to seduce a guy. For all you know, I’m straight.”

What a line. Tommy couldn’t help the smile it brought to his lips. If only David knew how well it paralleled thoughts Tommy had about him not too long ago. 

“David? You’re about as straight as I am. Which is to say a  _ lot _ less than I thought.”

For a long moment David was silent, as if he needed to process just what Tommy was saying. Which to be fair was, well,  _ fair _ . When before had Tommy ever hinted at this, right? Of course it would have been impossible for Tommy to hint at what he didn’t know. Yet that day after Brandon kissed David, the way his friend had looked at him when he talked about what he’d wanted… That had been meant for Tommy, it had to be. Why would David say something like that at him if he didn’t think it was something Tommy would act on? 

“Tommy…”

“That’s my name. I hope to make you wear it out.”

For a long moment David didn’t seem to breathe, didn’t seem to move at all. Was that even possible, could a person ever be that still? He definitely looked like his friend’s brain had fried a little. Strangely, that was an attractive look on David’s face. Enough of one that Tommy had to smile. His fingers came up to follow the line of David’s jaw, and yes, that was very good, wasn’t it? The warmth of David’s skin, the way the muscles of his neck jumped at the touch.

“What are you doing?”

“Taking a risk,” Tommy answered before pushing up onto his toes to press his lips against David’s.

His lips were soft, was Tommy’s first thought. No difference between kissing David and kissing a woman except that David’s lips were a bit fuller, and that was actually a serious plus. They were warm too, warm and soft and as Tommy’s fingers stroked down David’s neck, David finally responded. Instead of being rigid with shock, David was leaning forward into the kiss, seeking it as much as Tommy was. In fact, his hand curled against Tommy’s hip, possessive and warm. His other hand was in Tommy’s hair now, and he had no reason to know that worked so much for Tommy. But Tommy was happy to groan against David’s hips, and that more than anything got David pulling away. 

“That’s… That’s definitely a risk,” David said after a moment, and the way his tongue flashed out to lick his lips made Tommy want to chase it. The soft pink color was just beautiful next to the color of his skin. 

“I wanna take more than that,” Tommy admitted, his hand sliding up to David’s waist, feeling the firmness of his body blow his shirt. 

“I don’t do one-night stands, Tommy. I’m not what you want.”

“You are,” Tommy insisted. “Just… it just took a while to figure it out.”

“Don’t play with me. I’m not going to forgive you if this is a game.”

A game? Damn. Tommy’s own history coming to bite him in the ass. Worst, he didn’t know how he was supposed to prove himself if David wasn’t willing to give him a chance. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. Actually, Tommy didn’t know how it was supposed to go, but it definitely wasn’t like this. With a sigh he let his hand fall from David and back away a step. 

Barley even made that before David’s hand had grabbed his wrist to hold him still. 

“It’s about taking chances,” David whispered, pulling Tommy back against him. “You’ve always been worth the chance.”

“David, I…” Tommy didn’t know what to say to that. He didn’t know how to speak, it was like all the air was gone from the room with the way that David smiled. A gentle hand curled against Tommy’s cheek and that sure didn’t help either. Still, Tommy leaned into it, hope back in his heart. 

“I want to try something new. There’s a chance it could go wrong, but it’s about being willing to take the chance, right? That’s what you said. So will you give me one? A chance?”

The silence that followed that was almost heartbreaking. Almost being the important word because, after a moment, David smiled and nodded. 

“That sounds good, Tommy. Really good.”

Their lips met again, this time David leaning down to press their lips together as an arm around Tommy’s waist pulled him close. It was short, but Tommy wasn’t certain he’d ever felt something so sweet. 

Of course none of it was as sweet as what came after.

“I’m not really feeling like a party all of a sudden. What would you say to heading back to your room? To talk?”

Nothing had ever sounded better in his life. Tommy just nodded, not trusting himself to manage real words at the moment, and when David took him by the hand and pulled him down the hall, Tommy was happy to follow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone else relieved? There is still more coming. 
> 
> Heh.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The night isn't over yet for Tommy, but it's been more than he'd ever expected for himself. Still, David has a question he needs answered. And Tommy has plans for the future.

“You know, I always wondered if you just bleached your hair. Guess I don’t have to ask anymore.”

David’s words were soft in the darkness of Tommy’s dorm room, whispered like a secret against the warmth of the skin of Tommy’s shoulder. The way his lips brushed over Tommy’s skin was almost arousing, but in the blissful fatigue that had settled in after his second orgasm, well, it was just intimate. Intimate in a way that Tommy had never known before. He didn’t tend to stick around long with the women he’d bedded, so there had never been anything like this before. Granted, there was a lot that had happened in the last few hours that definitely fell under the umbrella of ‘never been anything like this before.’ 

Like the low, pleasant ache in his body that had been a natural result of what they had been up to, and what had led to Tommy literally collapsing on top of David like he was now. He should probably move, actually, but that seemed like a lot of effort and it would remove that wonderful skin-to-skin heat that he has right now. There was no guarantee that David would tolerate actual cuddling if Tommy wasn’t right on top of him. Granted with everything that had happened today, Tommy might find himself pleasantly surprised, right? No reason not to try finding out. Later, though, because where he was now was perfect, his legs tangled with David’s, fingers carding lightly through his hair. Also, if he moved, he probably would think more about the heavy scent in the air and the itch of his skin from drying sweat and all the other reasons they would have to slip off to the shared bathroom for this floor. 

The very idea of David naked under the hot spray of a shower was too wonderful for him to make reality while he was still tired. While his legs were still jelly. While he was still too busy basking in the impossibility of it all. 

_ Not impossible _ , a voice in his head corrected him, and it almost sounded like Billy,  _ just improbable. _

“I’m all natural, David,” he agreed, his own fingers drawing lazily along the lines of the muscles of David’s arm. They had turned out to be a  _ lot  _ stronger than Tommy had been expecting. Maybe Noah and David were right in saying that he didn’t put enough time of his workout toward his arms. Then again, the object lesson in how good arm strength was in these situations had been a pretty good way to have their previous words reinforced. 

“Noticed,” David chuckled, his lips slowly skimming up Tommy’s neck. “So, did you think about what I asked you to?”

Asked him to? Fuck, Tommy was forced to drag through his memories to consider what all had happened. There hadn’t been too much deep conversation after about, what, ten minutes sitting together on the edge of Tommy’s bed. So before that then. Probably even before Tommy had been unable to keep his hands to himself, desperate to see the strength of David’s body the more he thought of David in the role he had played. The words were there, somewhere before the haze of quick fingers and the inability to catch his breath as David played him like an instrument. Dammit, he couldn’t remember, and David was going to get pissed at him and then leave and things would…

“Woah, slow down,” David’s voice came as a soothing balm, almost as much as the fingers that traced lightly around the shell of Tommy’s ear. Of course David smiled at that, the curl of his lips even visible in the dimness of the room as Tommy groaned at the touch. All his experience, and he’d never found out that his own ears were sensitive. Clearly David was better in bed than literally everyone else Tommy had ever been with. 

Fuck, Kate was going to punch him when Tommy told her that to her face. Because she was absolutely going to ask for all of the details and Tommy didn’t know that he’d be able to hold them back from her. 

“Slow down?” he echoed, dazed from the tingle that went down his spine as David massaged at an earlobe. 

“Your brain is racing at a million miles a minute. I can tell. You went stiff, and not in the fun way.”

Asshole. He would show David ‘the fun way’ once he could be bothered to move again. 

“I don’t remember,” Tommy admitted after a long moment, and closed his eyes briefly. He didn’t want to see David’s disappointment. 

What he got instead, though, was a chuckle from the other man. Which was an experience like Tommy hadn’t known before, his whole body jostled by the way David’s body moved as he laughed. The hand from his ear slide down to Tommy’s chin and he had no choice but to open his eyes as he felt David move up just enough to brush their lips together. Fuck, how could anyone manage to get his whole body to  _ burn _ with the most chastely frustrating of kisses. Clearly David was someone out of one of Billy’s comic books. A superhero with the power of sexiness. Captain Coitus or something. And holy fuck where did that word even come from? Sure, he knew that it meant sex, but he didn’t think he’d ever heard it or used it before in his life. Probably David’s fault, of course it was. Because these things were always David’s thought. 

Important new rule: never call David that to anyone. No doubt that it would come back to bite him in the ass. Much like… 

Fuck, his attention span was failing tonight in the worst ways. Had he remembered to take his medication this morning? Or was it wearing off? Most days it wasn’t so bad at the end of the night because there was always something to do, always something to distract him. All he had right now was this stillness, and while it was amazing, apparently his brain wasn’t sticking to it well. Maybe it was just how nervous he was now that it was over. What would they be now, would David want something a bit deeper or was sex all he was going to get from this? Not that the sex wasn’t great, that was fucking amazing. Okay, bad word choice there too. But it was good, better than good, and frankly, he wanted another chance at that. Maybe after taking David out to dinner, just them, no one else tagging along. There was something to be said for that sort of interaction, right? Had to be, because he wanted it so bad and that wasn’t like him at all. Dating wasn’t his thing, but the idea of walking somewhere, hand in hand with David, talking about their days, knowing he could just collapse onto David’s bed and be heard out at any time, or even sitting together, legs barely touching and not having to say a single word, those were all so tempting.

“Come back,” David said, voice still soft, still patient, still  _ fond  _ as his fingers reached up to tuck hair behind Tommy’s ear. “It’s okay that you don’t remember the question. I told you, I’m patient. I can wait as long as needed to get my answers. Already waited for a while to get this one. So, wanna know the question?”

Those fingers, long and nimble and wonderful, could do things they had no right to do. Right now they cried behind an ear and massaged at skin there, and Tommy was distracted leaning into the touch. Maybe he was part cat or something, because damn if he wasn’t enjoying this particular touch. 

“Please,” Tommy sighed. There was a number of things he could have been asking for, but this would suffice he supposed. If David just didn’t stop touching him, everything would be good. 

“Do you want this to just be a benefits thing appended onto the friends, or are you willing to try something more?”

Right, that question. 

There was a lot of weight to that question, wasn’t there? Tommy hadn’t really tried the ‘dating’ thing in a while. When he’d tried with Kate it hadn’t exactly gone well. That had been before they had gotten close as friends, and he’d found out like a week later that he was supposed to be the ‘other man’ in the process of frustrating Eli, her boyfriend from high school. Which, of course, had been a low blow. After that… After that he’d decided to swear off of relationships for a while. Why should he waste his time on that when he was the sort of guy that could get just about any girl’s attention when he wanted it? Why should he pony out money for dates or gifts or things like that when the only reason women wanted him was for the fact that he put out? 

That wasn’t what David was asking for, and Tommy knew it. There had been… There had been a lot in the last few hours together. But that wasn’t all of it, now was it? Those touches and kisses had come after the desire, after the jealousy. He had watched someone else make moves on his best friend and wanted to hit the guy. No, there was more here than there had ever been before with any woman. This was him wanting something in a new way and he didn’t know how to answer David’s question because of it. 

_ There will come a day when you find that you want something new, something a bit deeper. Don’t be afraid of that, Thomas. It is only through opening ourselves up to others that we can find something truly wonderful _ . 

It was something Rebecca Kaplan had told him when helping him pack for college freshmen year. Tommy had ignored the argument at the time, because it had all seemed a bit ridiculous. He didn’t need anyone but Billy, and never would. Sure, Teddy had been a nice addition, his brother’s boyfriend refusing to judge him for anything, even serving to temper Billy’s own lack of patience. Other than that he hadn’t made too many connections, hadn’t trusted a lot of people to get close to him. Except for Kate of course, because she had felt bad after things got awkward between them and they had sorta just grown into friends after that. And David of course, who had been his best friend pretty much from their first meeting because David had been hilarious in the face of meeting them. Noah was pretty cool too, even if he was a bit pretentious about music. And Cassie… 

Okay, maybe she was right, and maybe this was one of those moments that she had meant. A chance to open himself up to something good, something right. 

He lifted his hand to settle against the fingers in his hair. It was easy to tangle his fingers with David’s, because David didn’t bother to struggle against such a touch. So he just let his fingers curl there, holding the warmth of David’s hand in his own, not that he lowered it from the side of his head. He liked the feeling of David’s touch, and wasn’t going to give up on it. Not when there was hope in the other man’s eyes, beautiful and dark eyes that made him think of the warmth of David’s laugh, the softness of his hands, the gentleness with which he had handled Tommy in his nervous and clumsy fumbling tonight. 

“I want everything you’re willing to give me,” Tommy admitted finally. “I want to try having dates where we’re mushy over some damn movie together. I want to do my homework with my foot teasing up your leg, trying to distract you.”

“I’d really rather you let me do my-”

“I want to be sappy with you when no one’s around to see it. Maybe even when people are. I want to be Tommy and David, like my brother is Billy and Teddy. And… And I think maybe I’ve always wanted that with you, David. It feels weird to say because I’ve not really tried to make that stuff work before, but here I am, wanting to make it work. Because you’re right. It’s about risks, and I think you’re one more than worth taking.”

Over the past year and a half, or more if that’s what it was, Tommy had been on the receiving end of a lot of different smiles from David. The guy was amazingly expressive, especially for Tommy. He had smiles that said ‘you’re tiring me out’ and smiles that said ‘you’re close to getting the point but you aren’t quite there’. Smiles for greeting friends and for that strained point in the night when David was too tired to keep studying, but pushed himself further anyway. There was a wealth of smiles that David had and Tommy had believed he knew all of them. 

_ That might say something about how you’ve always felt about him _ , Tommy thought, but he shook that off. 

The smile that David offered right now was something else entirely, something David had never shown him before. There was warmth and hope, a sort of joy to how wide it was, and it just about filled the room with light. Golden warm in the darkness of Tommy’s dorm room, and all Tommy could think to want was to be closer to him. 

“Tommy, I…”

No, there was no time for words in the face of that smile. Instead Tommy leaned down again, kissing David, a series of little kisses that wandered from the beauty of those full lips and across the line of his jaw. It earned a soft sigh from David, and fingers curling tighter in his hair. Strong hands which kept him in place and Tommy had no reason to argue against that pleasure. David’s free hand settled on Tommy’s hip, like it had been earlier, and his fingers curled tightly there too. Maybe there would be a bruise in the morning, wouldn’t that be amazing? To have small marks on his skin to prove he belonged to David? He longed to leave others in return, to make sure that when anyone saw David on stage they would see that he belonged to someone. That they got to look only because he was so magnanimous as to allow it. 

Which was of course bullshit, because David could take care of himself, and in a way Tommy thought it might be even better to know that David just  _ told _ people he was taken. To have those words fall from that honeyed voice, to know that it was meant. That it meant him. That David was his. 

“Let me take you out for noodles sometime? I mean, for just us. I’ll buy you dinner and you can tell me how amazing I am. And I can smirk when the waitress tries to hit on you because I’ll know it’s a lost cause.”

“Sometime? Why not tomorrow, lunch, after the matinee. I’ll have some time to eat,” David suggested, hand stroking up Tommy’s side. His thumb paused part way up over Tommy’s ribs, fingers brushing lightly over Tommy’s skin in a way that made him gasp. It was a spot that David had found earlier that somehow no other partner had ever made a connection to in the past. The touch had Tommy gasping, his breath short as he jerked a little at the touch. 

“Because tomorrow you’re coming to lunch with the Kaplans.”

For half a moment David looked at him in shock, like there was something strange about the offer. Like Billy and Teddy wouldn’t invite him along anyway, like the Kaplans won’t expect him. But it means something different like this, right? If he’s the one who asks, if they’ve agreed to be together. If they’re dating. 

“I don’t want to impose, Tommy.”

“I want you to meet my family. I mean, I know you already know them, but I want you to  _ meet _ them. As my boyfriend. Because if I don’t then once Billy and Teddy find out and tell them, then I’m not going to hear the end of it. So tomorrow, come with us to lunch and we’ll just… deal with things as they come, okay?”

Because really, it’s okay if David says no. The more important thing is that the offer was made. 

Still, that didn’t make waiting for an answer any easier. 

“I’d be happy to be there with you,” David answered at last, his voice soft as his hand, fingers still tangled with Tommy’s, came down to stroke his jaw. “But we get our own date when the show is over, right?”

It was Tommy’s turn to smile at that question.

“Yeah, David. I mean, I don’t know that I’ll be good at it, but I’m going to try. For you, it’s worth trying.”

If he’d thought the smile earlier was good, none of it compared to right now. The smile he was offered was warmer than anything he’d ever known before, and he wanted to find a way to make him smile like that more. If he could just get those lips curved like that again, well… 

What greater joy could there be?


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein Tommy is nervous about introducing David to his family, which is silly. Tickle fights may also ensue. And, of course, a brief look forward at the end of the school year.

How long had it been since the last time Tommy had been nervous over time around his family? A while, he thought, perhaps sometime in those first few months after the adoption was finalized. It was easy to come to feel like he really could trust them, could be open with them, after all the time he’d spent with the Kaplans. They had never treated him like a burden, never turned him away, never acted like they wanted to send him back. He had been welcomed into that family with open arms and with time he had come to realize he saw them more as home than the place they lived in was. Of course his preference was to Billy, because as much as he hated to admit it, his twin really did feel like part of him. None of that, though, changed how much he loved his family, or how comfortable they made him, until now. 

Granted it wasn’t their fault that he was nervous, right? No, this was his own fault. He could have just not told his parents that he was bringing someone to eat with them after the play, right? Could have given himself more than half a day to prepare for this whole new phase of his life, right? Coming out to them by bringing his new boyfriend that they had just watched as cross-dresser for a while probably wasn’t the best way, right? Not to mention Sammy and Danny, the younger twins would definitely have a field day with this. 

Yet here he was, living with the decision that he’d already made that morning, something he’d told the Kaplans when he’d met them for the play. And even now he was waiting for them near the back door to the stage, waiting for Billy and Teddy to join them.    
  
And David. David who had been there this morning when Tommy had come awake, his strong arms wrapped possessively around Tommy’s waist to hold him close. That had been amazing, actually, the warmth of that body still tangled with his. When he’d awoken to that, he’d had to think back to the celebration party all those weeks and weeks ago. What if back then he’d just figured it out? What if he’d rolled in David’s arms and kissed him then and there? What if he’d…

“So which of the girls was yours?”

Tommy was jarred out of his thoughts by Sammy grinning up at him, a pest as always. Danny was the quieter one, taking more after Billy than anyone in the family. But if someone reminded Tommy of himself, it was Samuel. Kid always wanted to know things that weren’t his business, even now he was ignoring their parents frowning at him, even though Tommy knew they were curious too, super curious. Well they could wait and see too, right?

“Now that’d be telling, Sammy. Wouldn’t you rather be surprised?”

“Nope.”

Of course Tommy laughed. How could he not? Kid after his own heart. He reached out as if to mess up Sammy’s hair, and in a moment they were just about wrestling. It had gotten to be a habit once the twins had started to sneak up on Billy and Tommy in terms of height. Tommy needed to maintain that he was top dog in this house, right, and what better way than reminding the twins that they were still small potatoes in most ways that mattered? Sammy, of course, didn’t want that to happen, and when one twin needed defense, the other jumped in. So it wasn’t that surprising that within moments Tommy was on his ass, laughing as he flailed under the combined weight and limbs of the terrible two. 

Hopefully David wouldn’t mind him looking flustered and breathless after this. 

“Looks like someone angered the Twintapus,” Teddy’s voice cut in, his own amusement in it, after Tommy was buried enough for the twins to start tickling him. “Billy, maybe you should get in there and help?”

“Whatever he did to anger them is his own problem. If I keep bailing him out, he’s never going to learn,” Billy insisted. 

“Betrayed!” Tommy cried out between bursts of laughter as the twins attacked his sides with renewed vigor. “The Twinado is finally defeated through indifference.”

That news seemed to spur Sammy and Danny to greater vigor, leaving Tommy literally breathless and his sides aching as he squirmed under them, grabbing for arms and legs to try and drag them away. And then there was a surprised squeal from Danny, who wiggled away with a burst of laughter after a moment. Apparently Billy had not actually abandoned him. He was save…

The hand that was held out to him to pull him from under Sammy after a moment wasn’t Billy’s. Or Teddy’s. Instead it was David looking down at him, fondness and amusement in his own eyes as Sammy bounced to his feet off to the side. Tommy, for what it was worth, hesitated for only a moment before grabbing the offered hand and letting David pull him to his feet. 

“My hero,” he teased, and moved without warning into a dramatic swoon. 

Of course, David immediately got bonus points for because damn if his boyfriend wasn’t immediately there with an arm around his back to help hold him up. A very,  _ very _ , strong arm. Damn, he appreciated that as much now as he had last night. Just had to figure out how to not let that knowledge overwhelm him in a visible way. Seriously, how did Billy keep from putting himself into awkward situations when Teddy was all over him most of the time, always touching him and smiling? Here was David, just offering him the brightest smile, amusement twinkling in his eyes. All Tommy wanted to do was reach up and pull him into another one of those searing kisses that David had given him the night before. 

“You’re the guy that was in the dress, right?”

Thanks, Danny, for ruining that illusion. Reminded that his family was right there, Tommy stood up straighter and almost,  _ almost  _ flinched away from the way that David’s hand settled at the small of his back. Instead he steeled himself and stood there, refusing to move away from the gentle touch. It was meant to be comforting, and that was more than enough for him to stay there. 

“Yeah, I was,” David agreed. “But you recognize me outside of that, right?”

“It’s good to see you again, David,” Rebecca Kaplan greeted, and Tommy watched his mom watching that hand at his back. Had she put it together? Perhaps. The look on Jeff’s face was less appraising, just having that normal smile he offered to Billy’s roommate. “You were lovely, of course. We’re heading out for lunch before the next show, would you like to join us?”

“He already is,” Tommy said after a moment, and he couldn’t even look at his parents as he said it. Instead he bumped his hand against David’s side. Sure enough David’s hand moved from his back, down to instead catch Tommy’s hand, their fingers tangling together. 

If anyone commented on it, Tommy would absolutely deny that he flushed a little at the contact. Maybe even tickle them senseless if it was a brother. But he had to wait for a comment first, for someone to say something, and time seemed to be taking forever to flow. He wanted to fidget, wanted to pull away, wanted to just shout until someone said something. All of that was stopped with nothing more complicated than David squeezing his hand. Which got Tommy to look at him, and smile. Damn, the guy was amazing. 

“About time!” Billy grumbled off to the side as time seemed to pick back up again. 

“William, be nice,” Jeff chided lightly. “David, we’re glad to have you join us today.”

“It’s my pleasure.”

“Why are you all being weird?” Sammy demanded, and Tommy at last looked at his younger brother. “It’s just David. Even if he was in a dress.”

“He’s my boyfriend. Geez, it’s pretty obvious, right?” Tommy countered, turning to frown at the boys. “Got a problem with it?”

“Tommy, there’s no need to...” David started, his hand tightening. 

“Like I care if you’re dating a guy,” Sammy returned, pouting up at Tommy. “Not like Billy hasn’t been doing that for, like, forever!”

Yeah, that was true, but Tommy was still nervous, shuffling his feet a bit as he considers everyone around him. 

And of course, there was David to make it better. Tommy was so aware of his boyfriend, and the way David leaned in to whisper in his ear, his voice as soothing as it was warm. 

“It’s okay,” David whispered, his voice leaving a shudder running along Tommy’s spine. “They’re your family, Tommy, they love you. Relax.”

Of course he was right, and all he could do was relax a little. Embrace everything as it was, for what it was. So he finally lifted his gaze and met the looks on his parent’s faces. Nothing but acceptance and perhaps a touch of amusement at how shy he was over this. In a way it made sense, because Tommy had never been this interested when he’s brought girls home, not even Kate that one time. What made David different? Was it because this was a guy?

No, of course not. The Kaplans had never been anything but supportive of Billy and Teddy. He had no reason to think they would judge him like that. So there was something else going on here, right? If it wasn’t that this was a guy, he supposed it was because it was David specifically. But what was it about that fact that got him so worried? 

“Yeah,” Tommy agreed quietly after a moment. Then he got a smile on his own lips and nodded at the Kaplans. “No interrogations, okay? We haven’t even had a first date yet because the play has kept him busy. So just be chill during dinner, okay?”

“Of course, Tommy,” Rebecca smiles. “I was thinking we could do a deli. Does that work for everyone?”

Tommy, he wasn’t exactly picky about things. All he cared about was that he’d get to share it with David. Which made him move a bit closer to his boyfriend, leaning against him just a bit. It was nice. For right now, he could just embrace this time, with his family happy around him and his boyfriend at his side. What could be better than this?

* * *

 

“You know, we can’t just stay in bed all day.”

Tommy really didn’t agree with that comment. Especially given how David’s lips were busy teasing over the skin of his shoulders. Maybe, just maybe, if he laid here for a while, he could just bask in David’s tender attentions. Just revel in the sensation of lips, and of hands sliding over his hips, and fingers maybe in his hair, and from there…

“Maybe I just don’t want to get up. The world is waiting for us out there.”

“Yeah, that tends to be the way the world works,” David agreed, chuckling a little as he at last slipped from under the sheets. Tommy’s eyes followed him of course, watching as he moved across the room, stooping for his shirt. The early morning sun came in through the dorm room window, and it was golden and warm across David’s skin. Tommy just laid there, watching the way the sun caressed his boyfriend’s skin as he started gathering up clothes discarded in a rush the night before. The last time he was going to get a chance at this in a while. 

“You sure you don’t want to just abandon your internship and come home with me for the summer? Imagine all the fun we could have,” Tommy mused, fingers darting out to glide over the back of that strong leg. What he’d give to have them back around him, David under him and begging for more. Just a replay of the night before, where they had said goodbyes in a way that Tommy wanted to revisit time and time again today.

The question earned a soft smile over David’s shoulder, but a sad shake of his head as well. Damn. 

“Come on, you’ve got to get a shower and get the last things packed up.”

“David, come on, just…”

Fingers reached out to stroke through his hair, and Tommy wished he could manage to purr. There was a serious flaw with the creation of human weren’t able to just purr, to show their pleasure. That and he was pretty sure he could drive David wild if he just started to purr at very specific points. But then David’s moving away again, because that’s just the sort of day it is. David is supposed to leave today. His parents are due in within, what, an hour or two? It’s a long drive to David’s internship location for the summer, and he had to start out early. Which Tommy hated. He was going to lose the company that had kept him going through most of the end of the school year. 

“Tommy, we’ll be back together in a few months. Or did you think I signed up as your roommate for nothing?”

Still, that didn’t really comfort Tommy as much as it could have. When he sat up, he didn’t bother to deal deal with the fact that the sheet fell away from his skin, leaving his body bare for David. And of course the motion caught his boyfriend’s eye, like David knew it would. It was fun to watch the way that David’s eyes roved over him, that brief look of true hunger in his gaze. It was going to be a pain to not get to see that look on David’s face until the fall semester started all over again. Damn. He watched as David’s hands clenched futilely at his sides. That only ever happened when David was working so hard to keep from reaching out for him. At least he still had that power. 

“You’re worried.”

The heart of the matter. How easily David cut through to it these days. Maybe not even just these days. Perhaps he’d always had that power in regards to Tommy. What was the chance that he’d been like that from the start, from the first moment they met? And then there was Tommy, always playing catch-up. No matter how fast he could run, no matter how hard he tried, he was always trying his best to reach where David was. And now for the summer, David was going to be somewhere Tommy couldn’t go. 

Of course he worried. Strange thing was, that wasn’t something that Tommy used to do. His concerns were mostly over the Kaplans, and the chance that they might come to realize he was a bit of a problematic kid to have around. But they hadn’t let him down over the years, and David kept promising that he’d be like that. Still…

“What if you meet a hot guy over the summer?”

“Then I’ll be sure to send you pictures of them, so we can consider whether they would ever be worthy of sharing a bed with us.”

What? Tommy’s head snapped quickly up to David, even as his boyfriend sat down on the edge of the bed. 

“I’m kidding, Tommy. I’m a one man guy. And for me, you’ve been that guy for a while now. Thing is, there isn’t someone else out there for me. Not right now. You… I spent all of last summer thinking of you, Speedy. I had trouble getting through a single day without calling you.”

“You barely called me at all last summer, David. I mean, there were texts and all of that, but…”

David leaned back just enough to wrap an arm around Tommy’s shoulders. It was nice, to feel that warmth, that strength. If nothing else, dating David had really made it easier for him to get why Billy was so interested in Teddy. It was nice, being in strong arms, held like he mattered, like he would be protected. Not that he needed it, but… Well, it was nice. 

“I know. Figured if I called too much, desperate to hear your voice and your sass, you’d see right through me. You’d realize that I was bi. More than that actually. That you might figure out I was interested in you. It could have been awkward, but all guys are okay with a guy being into them. Not even the ones who are supposedly open-minded with gay siblings.”

Huh. It was a good point, and one Tommy wouldn’t have thought of himself. Still, that being true then didn’t make it true now. Now that David had a taste, why should he care to linger for it? Maybe…    
  
“Out here with me, love,” David whispered, fingers carding smoothly through Tommy’s hair. “I can see you worrying again. Look…”   
  
He pulled his phone out and opened his mail app. Within seconds he had one in particular open, and passed it over to Tommy. 

“I’ve been emailing back and forth with your mom and dad for a few weeks now. There’s this period, about a week and a half, where I’m between sessions on my internship. I got both halves, but between the two programs, I’m trying to see if I can spend that time with your family. It’s not much, but I want that time with you. You’re not the only one who doesn’t want summer to start, my Speedy.”

A silly little nickname that David had given him not too long ago, one that always warmed his heart. Just hearing it had Tommy reaching out to tangle their fingers together. He was always warmer when he was holding his boyfriend’s hand. There was a lot more hope when he had that sort of connection with David. That hand anchoring him to the here and now. The way their fingers, long and nimble, curled together was a lot like them, so caught in each other that there was no way to easily pull them apart. They were stronger like this, united. 

“I’d like that. Coming to see me. There’s so much I’d want to show you, David. And if it’s the right time of the year, then the twins will be at summer camp. So we won’t even have to deal with them around. But… you’d really want to…?”

“Wherever you go, Tommy, I want to be there. For as much time as I can steal. And come the fall, we’ll have plenty of time for each other.”

Amazing. It was so easy for David to turn it all around for him. He reaches out, his hand curling around David’s chin to twist him into position for a kiss. Not the hottest, not the most devouring that they offered to each other, but it was something. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has been a wild ride, my dears. Hope you enjoyed. Keep an eye open in the future as I might do a ficlet on the first time these boys met. Don’t know that I will do future stuff because don’t know what it would be about.


End file.
